


To Outlast Your Never-Ending Career

by Chaoticbutterfly



Category: Outlast (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:55:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 23,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22370629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaoticbutterfly/pseuds/Chaoticbutterfly
Summary: (Outlast and Outlast: Whistleblower x Reader)As a psychiatrist at Mount Massive Asylum, Y/N finds herself in an unfortunate situation where she has to outlast the sufferings of the building and try to escape. Join... yourself, in the twists and turns and mental horrors of the infamous asylum.(Not that good at writing horror, gotta admit. Expect gore to be mentioned and described, weirder stuff may arise as it gets closer to the end. Slowish updates.)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	1. Prologue

I shut the window, which was blowing my papers and table doilies around the dining room. My hair was a mess. The papers were tiresome to pick up, but nonetheless, I picked them up. It was twelve-thirty, or so that's what my stove's clock said.

"Almost time for work..." I sighed. I slowly walked to my room to retrieve my uniform. I dropped my comfortable nightgown to the floor. The cold air made me want to curl into the bed only a few feet away. I pulled my dress out of the drawer, my stockings too. The dress fit sort of snugly, fitting better in some areas than others. The dress itself was close to the color of toothpaste, with a darker blue stripe through the right side. My employee number written downwards directly next to it. I throw my white lab coat over my arms. Routine settles around me as I sit on my bed, pulling my stockings up. I rubbed my hairless legs. What can I say, that new razor I used last night really works. That's probably the best brand I've used, seeing as it didn't cut me once. I continued to pull up both legs before standing and leaving my room.

My house is quiet. I glanced at my phone's clock. Twelve fifty-six. How did the time move so fast? I rushed to the front room, hurriedly placing my shoes on my feet. I jumped up and took my keys, leaving with one last look at my empty house.


	2. Chapter One

The woman parked her car at the entrance. She fumbled with her brush in the glove compartment before combing it through her hair. She really didn't have time for this. Her boss was unlikely to be happy with another tardy. She shoved the comb into its designated resting place before exiting and locking her car. Mount Massive Asylum stood in great power before her. It had intimidated her when she first began working here. Well, rather, she interned here. It was unknown everyone who entered had an immediate "job offer". The building is beautiful, in an old fashion sense. The fountain that greets everyone is a personal favorite.

She had no time to revel at the infrastructure, however. She shoved the entrance door open. The receptionists glanced her way before turning back to their computers.

"Hey, sorry I'm late, where's...?" Y/N knew she didn't have to explain who she was talking about.

"In his office. I suggest you hurry. I'll check you in." Y/N smiled broadly.

"Thank you so much, Treyton!" The man behind the desk waved her off as she rushed to get to her office.

She scurried to get into my room. Her hands fumbled with the keys. She heard the hall floors creak. Sweat slipped down her forehead. Finally, the door opened and she ran to her desk. She started her computer and pretended she was actually doing work.

"Good afternoon, Ms. L/N. What brings you here?" She could hear come from the doorway. She turned her chair to face the unfortunately-familiar voice.

"Haha, what do you mean sir? Aren't I always here? Duty does call me every morning!" The woman nervously laugh.

"Does it now? It's funny, I don't recall seeing you this morning. Where were you?" He steps further from the doorway. His inquisitive stare made all who suffered it feel smaller.

"Ah, I was just," She surveyed her brain for possible excuses, "getting something from my car. I'm getting a little forgetful, it seems."

His shoulders relax. "Let's hope it doesn't affect your work, Ms. Y/N. We wouldn't want to fire you, now would we?"

"Haha, of course not, Mr. Blaire. I'm sure it will pass." She nervously rubbed her hands. The weak feeling it brought caused her to stop. "Is there anything you need from me, sir?" She shifts her eyes from his crossed arms to his eyes.

"Just checking up on my wonderful employees." He shakes his head before opening the door. He glances back her way before he finally exits. She sighs in relief. She turns to her computer, this time actually doing some work.

Y/N was writing yesterday's paperwork into the system. About thirty minutes went by before she heard a rap at her door. She finished a few notes before rising and trotting to the door.

"Gluskin here, Ms.L/N." A burly guard loomed over her. He held the newest patient of hers in his tightly gripped hands.

"Thank you, sir. I'll take him from here." She smiled up to the guard as she reached for the man in his grasp. She lead the man into her office with one hand while shutting the door with the other.


	3. Chapter Two

"Take a seat, Mr. Gluskin." Y/N moved back to her position behind the desk. She pulled his file out of the drawers and sat in front of him.Her face turned sour slightly in remembrance to one of his files she read the other day. Murkoff hesitantly took him in. It states, at a young age, Edward was sexually abused. By his father and uncle, no less. Unfortunately, she can't say this is a first. And she's only been a psychiatrist for two years. What got him here, though, was his modern day Jack-The-Ripper status. And she should have been nervous, since his track record stated his distaste for women.

"So, Mr. Gluskin. How has your day been at our fine establishment?" This opening line has always been used since she started interning, and it has become a sort of habit. Edward noticeably flinched, causing her to mark his action down. "Apologies, I realize that wasn't the wisest question. How has your day been so far? That better?"

"The day would be better if I were not here..." The man in front of her mumbled.

"Let's get this started, shall we?" She waited for him to nod. "So, Mr.Gluskin, please tell me if we start to step outside of your comfort zone." She cleared her throat. "Have you ever seen a counselor or therapist before?" Her pen was readied.

"I might have." He says simply. Subject does not give straight answer.

"Sir, I will have to ask you try to go a little more in depth. It only hurts the both of us to leave answers so vague." She try to be as sympathetic as she can. It's understood how difficult it may be beginning here. All of the patients start this way. Closed up.

He snarls, though she only stares back. It is professionally unacceptable to show out. It would get her nowhere. "Please, Mr.Gluskin. I would personally feel saddened to see what they might do if we can't get you to improve or open up even the slightest bit. I promise, it is an open space here. Completely confidential. I won't hold anything against you."

"Yes..." He hesitantly disclosed. She marks this down, for her own records. She tries to further poke around, see if he can tell her who he saw, when he saw someone, but he tells her he can't remember.

"Alright, Mr.Gluskin, these questions are going to be personal, okay? First things first, how do you feel your childhood was?"

Edward's posture slightly rose. A small smile graced his lips. "My childhood was quite comforting. My parents were wonderful. Well, my mother was kind. Cooked wonderful meals, kept the house perfect. Whenever I felt bad, she would make me my favorite meal and kiss my 'boo-boos', or so she called them" His features warmed at his mentioning of her. She marks this down.

"And your father?" Y/N slowly says. She knows this was treading rough waters.

"Father... Father was... Everything was fine." His eyes glanced to his handcuffs, before darting back to the woman's. He lifts them slightly, "Are these necessary, darling?" His voice seemed slightly more suave. His eyelashes fluttered over his tired, blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, sir. They just do that as a safety repercussion."

"Oh, call me Eddie, sweetheart." She shudders. Y/N greatly dislikes being called sweetheart. It's so... demeaning. Patient acts more ambitious after mentioning his father.

"Alright, Eddie. Are you sure your relationship with your father was great?"

"I said it was, did I not?" He growled.

"Alright, Mr.Gluskin. We can come back to this later. Did you always have a good relationship with your mother?" His glare darkens.

"Yes."

"This is progress. Very good. I thank you for your cooperation. Do you have any other family members that might be of concern?"

"No. None that I can think of, dear." She raises an eyebrow, but says nothing. She already knows about who he has seen in the past, about his family problems. It appears he denies his past. She marks this down.

"Onward, then, shall we? Mr. Gluskin, how do feel about people?" Y/N lays it on gently. These sorts are ticking time bombs.

Edward snorted, "How vague..."

"I'm sorry? Alright, sir, how do you feel about women? Is that better?" The chair creaks as she leans back. Y/n knows she's getting a little too cocky.

"Women? Why, what a bizarre question. Tell me, what does this have to do with anything?" He leans forward. His eyes squint to suggest he is growing tired of the conversation.

"Just accessing you, as I have been. We're almost done here. Please answer my question." Edward chuckles, leaning back.

"Women are, well, the fairer creature. Beautiful, most are. Unfortunately, they don't know their place is in the home, cooking and raising the children." He leans forward, his hands together as he eyes her over. "It would seem, a lot of you feel entitled to the workplace. No man to correct you, darling... No husband, and at your age? Shameful." The man before her laughs, as if he has one something. Y/N wishes she was working with Mr.Walker right now, he'd be by far less stressful. He doesn't even know that she is half his age. He still isn't married, even in his forties, she mentally scoffs.

"I would appreciate it if we could keep this to you, Mr. Gluskin. My marital status does not matter. Now, what makes you say a woman's place is at home? Surely you realize we're in the twenty-first century. In fact, there are male homemakers, thousands of them." His face scrunches in disapproval.

"Those aren't men. Pansies, but not men. Women are too delicate to work. Too moody. Your kind serve best under a man's rule."

She looks at the clock on the wall. Ten more minutes until this session is over. "I'm sorry you feel this way. We are nearing the end of our session for today. Tomorrow, we will begin talking about the women you have mutilated, and help you work through this. Any questions?" Edward's eyes widen, his brows arch down. She prepares herself for one of his reported fits.

"Mutilated? I've never harmed a woman! Why would I, they pose no threat to me. Where do you get your corrupt information, you whore?!" Y/N stands and hurries to get behind her desk where a button hides, never taking her eyes off of him.

"Please calm down, Gluskin. I don't want to have you sedated. We can talk about this another day. If you have no more concerns, you may leave." Her hand hovers over the security button. This was probably the most unproductive session she has had in a while.

"I-I don't want to go back to that damned cell. Please..." His voice quivers and she feels almost bad for him. In a state of forgiveness, the woman lifts her hand and returns to her seat. He only has a few minutes until a guard comes back for him anyway.

"We have a few minutes left. Feel free to take advantage of it. I can show you ways to manage our thoughts, help you understand your feelings. Whatever it is, just ask." He takes a few seconds to think of something.

"Do... Do you know how to sew?" Sew?

"Sort of. I don't have the patience to make anything though. Why, do you wish for me to write you a word of allowance to the crafting activities?" Would he do well with Father Martin and the twins?

"That would be lovely, dear. I am glad to hear you can stitch something, at least. Your closer to being a lady than I had thought." She mentally rolls her eyes.

"You should be glad I work here, I'm the closest thing to compassionate you will find here. Closest to forgiving as well." Y/n shuffles through her papers. The allowance slip is crammed in at the end of them. She signs it and places it in his file. The door opened and the same burly man from before comes and takes Edward. "I'll tell your caregiver to take you to the multipurpose room in an hour. I will be expecting your presence tomorrow afternoon. Until then, Gluskin."

The man struggles under the guards' grip as the two walk down the hall. Her hair falls in her face as she shakes her head before closing the door.


	4. Chapter Three

Y/N stretches her arms out above her head. The workload has been tiring, as usual, since the company wants two separate copies of a person's information. One to make the patient seem crazy but in good hands, and one to tell the truth. The woman kicks out of her position, moving the rolling chair back so she can grab her lunch. She stands and heads to the faculty cafeteria to eat, as she always does at three sixteen. Y/N makes sure to lock her room and leaves, tucking her keys in her pocket.

Y/N picks at her food. Her hunger isn't as strong as her desire to go home. Six more hours, she thinks. It isn't all too bad, though. New blood is sitting on the other side of the table. She ponders what to say to the nervous lad. His hands fidget with his fork. His eyes were, well, quite attractive. His light brown iris' were darting from his hands to his food.

"Nervous?" She finally says. His eyes reach hers. Y/N slips a hand under her chin, leaning on it. "What's got you so troubled?"

"Ah, it's... Uh, it's nothing. I-I'm fine." He attempts a smile, but the woman, a professional psychiatrist, could see through it.

"Aw, don't be like that. I'm one of those few trustworthy folks here. Completely confidential." She smiles at him, her eyes shining a little brighter. "I was nervous my first day as well. This place isn't exactly known for its friendliness once you start working here."

"It isn't my first day. I mean- I've been here for at least two weeks. I haven't left." His words leave a little more apprehensive than he meant them. He was lucky it was only the two of them in the room.

"Oh, your one of those guys. Sorry, I didn't know." She leans in, her H/C locks brushing her hand. "You must feel lonely here. I would feel honored to talk to you if you're ever up to it." The woman is honestly quite surprised at her newfound confidence.

"It is a little off-putting that I can't see my wife and kids. I have no means of contact with them and it's honestly driving me a little crazy." He chuckles, bringing his hand to his neck. This action shows off his wedding ring on his hand. Y/N's hopes admittedly dropped a little.

"I can't imagine. Unfortunately, it may be a while before you get to talk to them. Murkoff is a little... well, you know." She tries to change the subject. "So, what do you do here?"

"I'm a computer consultant. I don't... no, it's nothing." He shakes his head. Y/N admires his blondish hair catching the dull lights of the room.

"You don't, what, like the work?" She lowers her voice, "I don't think any sane person does. I wish I could have gotten to you before you applied. Well, I wish I could take the place down, but we both know that's impossible." The woman clears her throat, takes a bite of her food, and continues. "So, computer consultant. That's big. Your family must be proud. Too bad I know what you've seen."

"Are you one as well?" He leans in, all too eagerly.

"Ah, no. I'm a psychiatrist here. I started as an intern, but they wouldn't let me leave with what I have seen. I'm just lucky I have no one nearby to tell about it, seeing as my nearest family is 1010.5 miles away." Her eyes flick toward the clock, and then back to the man. "I forgot to mention, my name is Y/N L/N. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr..."

"Waylon Park. I'm just glad there's someone who isn't a total sadist here." She smiles but the conversation drops. "So... You're the first woman I've seen here."

"Oh, well, I think we still have two female receptionists, but yeah. This experiment that was going on really messed with some of the woman's minds. A lot of phantom pregnancies occurred to some of the women. Those that didn't die were locked up in some prison because, well, Murkoff isn't about to let them off with what they know about Mount Massive. Too much of a risk. And Blaire has connections everywhere. I got lucky, since I'm one of the only psychiatrists here and that I haven't shown any signs of mental disruptions. They let me continue working." She scraped what was left of her pudding and tossed her lunch into the garbage.

"So, what, am I never going to see my family again?" Waylon's voice raised, slightly panicked.

"No, no, I wouldn't say that. It's just not likely to be any time soon." She muttered the last part. Her break was almost over, so she reached into her bag and pulled out a card. "Visit my office if you need someone to talk to. Don't do anything reckless, okay?"

"Uh, yeah, sure. I'll see you later, Ms.L/N." Waylon turns the card over in his hand. Y/N gathers her things and leaves the room, unaware of the plan Waylon has going through his mind.


	5. Chapter Four

SHHSK, SHHSK. Y/N sighs. She picks up her radio and answers.

"This is Y/N, employee number 4414. What can I do for you?" The other end goes beserk.

"Y/N L/N, employee number 4414, you are needed at Edward Gluskins cell."

"Copy that." The H/C girl exits her room.

"Where have you been? We have been trying to page you for the past ten minutes." Y/N groans. She just arrived and she was already being bothered.

"Maybe if someone would fix the speaker in my office, I would be able to know about these things sooner. Just, tell me what the issue is."

"We gotta get him to the Morphogenic Engine. He won't cooperate." Y/N raises her voice.

"Seriously? I just got this one. Poor guy..." She shakes her head. "What happened to his caretaker?"

"Gluskin refused to go with him. He even requested his 'psychologist'."

"Of course he did. And for once, you brutes actually listened to a request of a patient. I see you're feeling generous this season." The woman stormed into the room. Before her was the middle-aged man, wrestling with a guard, wearing next to nothing.

"Eddie, I'm here, hun. Come here." The taller male paused, dropping the guard. His face brightened when he saw her face.

"Darling!" He rushed to the woman's side. The guard from earlier stopped him with a hand. "How dare you, you filthy man!"

"I've got it." Y/N said to the guard. The said man raised his arms in surrender before muttering under his breath and leaving. "Eddie, I know we just me a few hours ago, but-"

"Darling, it feels like we've known each other our whole lives." He reached his arm around her. She felt awkward about the embrace. Blush spread across her face as he nuzzled his face into her hair.

"Yes, well, I need you to listen to me, alright? These men are going to take us to a room, and I need you to cooperate." He nods in hesitant agreement. Y/N places a hand on his shoulder and one holding his hand as she guides him out of the room and down the hall.

"Where... Am I going?" Edward glances at her. His hands are shaking. The shorter woman bites her lip. This just doesn't feel fair, she ponders.

"Just a test. You'll be fine dear." She feels his shoulder tense. "You know, something I always recommend to patients is to sing their feelings. It always helped me during an exam or a doctor's visit. It can be your own song or one you've heard on the radio. Go on, don't be shy." She smiled up at him.

"When I was a boy my mother often said to me get married boy and see how happy you will be..." His voice was shaky. It made Y/N feel even worse about leading him to his demise.

"That one sure is old. I remember my great grandmother used to play that when I was younger. She said it was her parents' song." Y/N tried to connect to him so he wouldn't feel as lonely as he did. What she said was true, at least. "It's a pretty song. Quartet, even."

The group got closer to the door holding Edward's fate. A tall guard was stationed there. "About time you brought him here. The folks in charge of the Morphogenic Engine are getting rowdy. With that new kid delaying the work as well." These words brought Edward into a frenzy. Y/N cast storms of glares at the guard. Gluskin couldn't have had just a few more seconds of peace.

"Eddie, no, sweetie. It's going to be fine. We can get through this-" Said man shoved Y/N away, disgust on his face.

"You filthy lying slut! Why should I ever trust you again?!" Her heart cracked a little at his words. Guards held onto him, and his demeanor suddenly changed. "Please, L/N, help me! Please, I know you can save me from this!"

"Guys, come on. Let him be for a few more minutes."She shoved through the guards and wrangled Edward. He soon realized she wasn't helping him escape, as she only lead him further in. Some men in full suits disrobed him. Before Y/N could get ahold of Edward, he ran from the hands reaching to control him. He noticed the glass between him and the observation room, and made a beeline for it. Y/N tried to chase after him, but was a bit slower than a man on a mission. In all honesty, she wanted his pleas for help to benefit him. She wished they could help all of her patients. It was unfair for a corporation to take advantage of the mentally unstable. But this was all she could do: wish.

She saw the man in the window shoved into his seat again. She thought it might have been that man she had met earlier, but she wasn't too sure. Before she could see what exactly the technicians were doing to her patient, she exits the room.


	6. Chapter Five

"Alright, Frank. That concludes our session. Since a spot has been... cleared, I will see you tomorrow afternoon. Until then, remember people are friends, not food. Maybe get to know some of your peers. Goodbye." A short, chubby guard takes Manera away to his cell. It has been a few hours since Y/N had lost a fresh patient. It wasn't uncommon. A good majority has been taken.

Suddenly, a few screams were heard outside of the office. Y/N slowly opened her door before quickly slamming it shut. Outside, she saw security without their heads, doctors without their organs, a dark mist stalking the hall. Worst of all, she heard other rooms alerting employees to evacuate, while her speaker still wasn't working. Y/N knew she should leave, but something about the smoky figure told her body to hide under her desk. No, that was a stupid idea. She looked around her room. No windows... but there was a vent. She began to move a chair to the vent when her door slammed open. I should have locked that! Her thoughts were flooded with fear.

"L/N? Is that you?" She turned to see who the somewhat familiar voice belonged to.

"Park?" His face lifted. He shut the door and walked over to her, his camcorder lowered.

"Man, am I glad to see you." The reunion was cut short as some grunts were heard from the other side of the door. Y/N tossed the loosely hanging grate and climbed through, followed by Waylon.

Under the vents, the two heard talking. Y/N paused to listen. They were saying something about a radio in the prison block... Who would waste their time to go all the way over there when they could just leave?

"Prison block it is..." Nevermind. Park is that kind of person. He takes out a pen and begins writing something. Though unsure where he kept the pen and paper, Y/N doesn't question it. Writing must be something that calms his nerves and, honestly, she thinks it's great he has something to put his thoughts into.

They finally get to the end of the vent and hop down. Y/N can't see anything since the room is pitch black. How did the electricity already go out? She wondered, but it made sense if it was always like that. Like how her speaker was always broken and no one bothered to fix it. It seems a bit silly to still be thinking about that, but she figures it must help her ground herself. She grabs onto Park since his camera has an infrared mode. He pushes something out of the doorway but jumps a little. She is confused at his urgency until the door opens, casting light into the room. A patient stood beside the two, raising his fists in the air. She shut the door behind them and they walked through the creepy room. Y/N wanted to talk, so she wasn't left with her thoughts and her eyes that played tricks on her.

The hall outside surely didn't do anything to calm her nerves. The red whirling lights shining across the clear plastic walls sent an eerie mood. The clumps of pink and red at the end, the putrid stench it caused, brought bile through Y/N's throat. Worse, she realized she might need to help Park.

"Waylon, are you alright?" She whispered. He swayed disorientedly.

"I'm-I'm fine. Just... The images, they keep coming up. At random times." Realization hit her. Her eyes traveled down his body, finally seeing the orange jumpsuit.

"You're a patient? Since when?" She drew back slightly.

"Since I sent an email to an investigative reporter to blow this whole place up." The two walked in silence.

"I'm surprised he left you alive." Y/N finally says. They turn the corner and enter a room. She ignores the sound of Park closing the door. She notes the two steel lockers in the room as places to hide. Cowardly, true, but survival is survival.

Her attention was swiftly brought to the front of the room as banging was heard against the glass. The man who was guilty of the action noticed her uniform.

"Help me, please! I'm a doctor, too! I need to get home to my..." She was tempted to press the button to let him out, but Waylon's presence beside her made doubt stop her. "I was... I am a patient like you. I stole these clothes from a dead body I found. You gotta let me out. Just... press the button right there and we can escape, together, the two of us." The man's story changed, she noticed. Her co-workers seemed to underestimate the intelligence of the patients, and that was her biggest issue with them. Waylon seemed more confident than she felt. Her eyes widened as he pressed the button. Now I look like a jerk, she thought.

Unfortunately, what was waiting on the other side was a well-built patient. Y/N tried to turn Waylon from the oncoming attack, to shield his eyes from any more trauma.

"All of you. Doctors and liars." Y/N glanced towards the decontamination chamber, only to see the patient had left. Fear gently crept its way up her back. Was he on their side of the purifying room? Well, it didn't really matter if he was. He could be reasoned with, right?

Waylon had enough of the room and grabbed Y/N's wrist, pulling her down the hall with him. She might have put up a fuss if they were in a different situation. But right now, his speed was what she was relying on. They entered the decontamination chamber in silence. The gas that filled the air caused the girl to cough. Oddly enough, she worked there for two years and still couldn't handle the fumes. She expected Waylon to at least look concerned, but he just plowed ahead.

The hall ahead didn't look any better. Y/N jumped as a doctor ran out of the darkness.

"H-hey! Sir!" She tried to get his attention, hoping he was normal.

"He's one of them! Lock them out. Now!" The two ran to catch up to the doctor.

"Seriously? He locked the exit? Why??" Y/N exasperatedly shouted.

"I don't blame him, after everything we've seen," Waylon added, walking off to a doorway on the right.

"What? The patients are people, too." She rushed to catch up with him. "Besides, you have a doctor escort. So why--" Waylon was holding onto a document, which so happened to catch her attention.

"From: j. blaire@ murkoffcorp.us.com " She read over the email. Her heart rate picked up.

"Gosh, I am so sorry, Park. Mr. Blaire is such a..." Y/N noticed the breath he was holding. She wished she could help him.

"Hey now." She grasped the man's arms, turning him to face her. "We'll get you out of here. There is nothing he can do to them once the news of this place spreads, you hear?"

"I don't need you to comfort me." He pushed her off of him, searching the rest of the room before exiting. Y/N sighed.

"If you don't want it, know I do. It... I don't know, it kind of helps me to feel like I can help you." She sluggishly made her way to the male, who was now climbing onto the top of the plastic hall. "Oh, come on. I'm wearing a dress!"

"I mean, you could stay there. Vulnerable. Alone." His words only flustered her.

"I was only complaining," She climbed up after Waylon. "Skirts were not made to do this..."


	7. Chapter Six

"Oof," Y/N crawled to the edge of the drop-off, where Waylon was waiting with his arms open.

"I'll catch you," he seemed strong enough, she thinks. Without further prompting, the woman jumped and successfully landed in safe arms. She wouldn't have let go, but Waylon dropped her. "Let's go..."

The two walked side by side, quickened pace. Y/N takes into consideration the shaking sensation of nerves playing games up and down her spine and decides to try and find a way to resolve the gut-wrenching she had been feeling. Ultimately, nothing will really help her. Look at the situation; she's stuck in the building holding the worst experiments ever, and the building is now under said experiments control.

Humming a song to herself as her last resort, she clings closer to the man beside her. The two came upon a room with a stained sink. Y/N was about to walk off into the doorway before them but Waylon grabbed hold of her arm.

"Wha-?" She started to say. Waylon pointed to behind the sheet hanging from rods.

"Check the room, please, I'm running out of batteries."

"Why do I have to check behind the ominous curtains?" Waylon didn't answer her as he himself began checking the side they were currently in. "Great..."

She moved to the frighteningly dark side. Whyyyyyyyyyyyy??? Reverberated within her mind. She shuffled around, trying to see a little better. Her knee rammed into the edge of a bedside table. "Great..." She huffed. The table held a battery and a radio. "Sure wish that thing still worked."

"Oh my apple-taters, Wayloonnnn!" Y/N's voice screeched. When she was turning, she saw a pair of legs raised into the air. It had shocked her because she wasn't expecting a body just laying right there in front of her. Once she rounds the corner and runs into Waylon, she realized how many bodies she has seen in this one night and understood she was overreacting.

"Oh, uh, whoops? Anywho, I got a, uh, battery." She hands him said battery.

"Thanks. I couldn't find anything." He pockets the battery. Y/N just nods, softly. "Let's go, then."

Obviously, things had to get worse, right? The first door they enter through reveals blood-splattered walls, hanging bodies, and slimy people innards. Among Y/N's observations, she can almost hear something move behind the wood and cabinets.

"Y/N, there's someone back there," Waylon whispered. The two look through the rubble and see a man devouring something. Shivers raced the two's spines. Waylon's breathing became heavier, worrying the woman beside him.

"Let's go this way," Y/N whispers, holding onto his arms.

The two carefully stalk through a freezer with bodies hung from the ceiling. Hitting one was inevitable... and traumatizing. Worse than that? The next room held boiling hands within a pot of blood. The kitchen was a complete mess. Y/N was only reminded how much she wanted to leave this place. Unfortunately, the only way to go forward was to go into the room filled with the sound of saws.

More blood was splattered against the glass to their right. Unsettling, but at this point, the two were sort of used to it. Waylon more so than Y/N. They lowered themselves to avoid being spotted and walked around cafeteria tables seating dead patients. The only way away from here was closer to crazy saw dude, Y/n thought. As they got closer, they saw a corpse with its "head" in a microwave. Comforting.

"Don't look at us! I love him." The familiar voice growled. Y/N looked away from the corpse, only to find the patient she had spoken to only a few hours ago. Waylon began scribbling away at the pad of paper again. Not the best time to do that.

"Frank?" This caught the man's attention. "Frank, do you not remember what we spoke about literally only a couple of hours ago? You can't..." She lost her words, tears welling up in her eyes. If looks could kill, she'd be dead. She feels dead. Waylon, done with his writing, grabbed hold of Y/N and dashed out of the room.


	8. Chapter Seven

Park and L/N wound up in a locker room. Well, the lockers on the right side alluded to it being a locker room. This naturally shakes the unmoved nerves. What creepy horror situation isn't complete with a dark room that could hide several bodies. On the bright side, at least there is an entire room full of hiding spots if the situation calls for it.

Luckily, Y/N spots a battery beside a radio and hands it to Waylon. His camera's infrared mode is practically their eyes in this place, so they'll definitely need to be on high alert for batteries.

They exit the locker room without any incident. Well, Park grasped his head, muttering about the visions again. Y/N was hopeful that they would go away on their own. It was doubtful, but she hung onto that hope, considering she had no way to find the medications for it.

The wall at the end of the hall held a cross. Normally, this would remind Y/N of the semi-peaceful days spent with Father Martin and his "merry" group, but this felt eery. Like, Catholic school horror game, eery.

"I made it. I... I think it's safe. Can you climb up?" Y/N recognized the voice. While Waylon was checking the corpse handcuffed to the gated door, Y/N listened to the conversing voices.

"I'm coming, Cooper," Y/N lit up. She knew this Cooper. And his friend... "I just have to lock the... There. I'm coming. Hold on."

"Hey, Cooper? Todd? Guys? It... It's Y/N L/N. Where are you?" She waited but received no reply. "Great..."

"Come on, this way." Waylon climbed through a hole above the blocked door behind her.

"Ugh, more climbing."

Y/N climbed through and hopped down into Waylon's arms. He checked the door to their right, only to find it locked.

"I don't know why I check these doors. I know I can't open them." He grumbled. The two jumped over an obstacle... well, Y/N tripped over it. As she likes to point out, she's a doctor, not an Olympian.

The hall darkened and Y/N could see beds or tables or something. The sound of saws was abruptly heard. Waylon and Y/N ducked instantly. They glanced at each other, annoyed. They crawled forward. The intensity created butterflies in Y/N's stomach. Moths, to be thematical. They waited for the crazed Frank Manera to enter the room on their right.

"I know you're close." He shouted. L/N and Park took off, running down the hall to the left. They slammed through a door, Y/N shutting it behind her. The room held surprisingly white mattresses, four of which had a bed frame. They didn't stop to smell the roses, though. The two dashed into the next room, which was filled with useless objects.

"Get up there." Y/N pointed to a hole in the wall. "Why does this building have so many holes?"

They climbed through and dropped down.


	9. Chapter Eight

"Silky... You look so silky..." Y/N jumped at the sudden voice beside her. A patient, cloth-covered eyes, stalked towards Y/N and Waylon. "Let me just... I need to tell you a secret..."

He "blocked" the left hall. Blocked as in Y/N didn't really want to be anywhere near the man calling her silky. "Waylon...!" Y/N's voice wavered, like a suburban mom "reminding" her kids of something in front of other PTA moms. She backed up into Waylon, who wasn't a big fan of the patient himself. Regrettably, they backed into a dead end. At least there was a battery.

"Excuse me--" Y/N tried to reason, but was interrupted.

"So silky... I need to tell you a secret..."

"Mmkay, we should really be, um..." Y/N grasped Waylon's hand and made a nervous dash around the approaching male.

"I have an itch..." The two turned into the hall that was previously blocked by the strange, itchy man.

The hall was littered with corpses, of course. The itch man still behind, but more distant as the two walked hand in hand. Y/N, naturally, noticed this. A blush rose to the woman's cheeks. She wasn't holding his hand, no, she was simply guiding him around. He has dizzy spells... and a wife! That's all.

The comfort of his hand left, much to Y/N's disappointment. Waylon crouched down, grabbed something off of a corpse. He turned, holding an oh-so-precious object. The Handcuff Key.

"Way to go! I didn't even see it!" Y/N cheered. She offered her hand to help him up. Once he was up and ready, the two investigated further. Into the door on the right.

There were two computers in the room. Two bodies to accompany them. Y/N wanted to see if, by some miracle, these doctors were still alive. Sure, there was blood... all over them, but that doesn't mean anything.

Nevermind, one of them's missing a head.

"My stupid hope will be the death of me." She mumbled.

"Your mouth will get us killed. Get down here!" Y/N dropped as Waylon instructed. He held a finger to his lips, eyes signaling for her to listen.

A saw.

"How did he follow us here??" Y/N groaned. The two crawled into the next room. A few examination tables to the left, body scans on the right. Waylon found another document on a bin. Y/n noticed a battery by a chest cavity x-ray. She took it before joining Waylon in reading the document.

It spoke of a Ms. Cho who was suing Murkoff for firing her. The reason wasn't her fault. She was female. Phantom pregnancies were becoming too much of an issue. Y/N already knew all of this; it was a topic of gossip around the office.

"You know, I'm sort of glad they didn't fire you." Waylon finishes the paper, tucking it away.

"Oh, wow." Y/N's heart leaped to her throat. She made her way to the exit of the room. Stepping over the broken-down door. "I'm glad you started working here. I mean, not that I want you to be separated from your family or harassed by Mr. Blaire--" She mentally hit herself for sounding so stupid. Waylon's chuckle slightly lifted her spirits, though.

As the two stepped out of the room, they noticed a familiar hallway. They were back at the hall often stalked by Mr. Frank Manera.

"I have to feed." Slowly turning to their right, the cannibal stood ready to pounce.

"Frank! What a coincidence--" He revved the saw, "Nevermind." Y/N and Walon took off to the left, tailed by Frank.

They ran as quick as possible. Y/N struggled in jumping over obstacles. She noticed the impatient look of fear riding on Waylon's face.

"Just go, I'll catch up." She huffed. She could feel Manera getting closer.

"Like hell." Waylon ran back, picking Y/N up bridal style before bolting for the hole over the door. "Get ready to land on your feet."

Before she could question him (and before she could be brought back to her senses), she felt the air around her.

"AaaaaAAHHH" She narrowly made it through, her landing rough and painful. Quickly, she looked around in a panic to see if Waylon made it through.

He landed swiftly right beside her. He didn't even look in her direction before pulling out the key to the dead man's handcuffs before them. Y/N flung herself at the door as it was unlocked. Waylon slammed it shut behind them.

They stood there, panting. Releasing a breath they didn't know they were holding. A comfortable silence setting between them. Y/N felt pricks of tears at the corners of her eyes.

Without warning, she wrapped her arms around the taller male. Her tears seeped into his patient uniform.

"Thank you, so much. We made it... He almost had us but then...!" Waylon moved his arms to comfort her. Because it's the kind thing to do. He certainly didn't feel an odd tug at his heart during any of this. They were both emotional. That's all. They were going to survive this together.

"Hey, doc, aren't you supposed to be helping me?"

Y/N wiped at her tears, smiling. "Yeah, yeah." She clears her throat, "And what may be the problem today, Mr. Park?"

"You see, there's this crying girl I know who doesn't seem to know when she's provoking an insane guy. I'm not sure what I should do." Waylon played.

"Hmm, well. I think you should keep a close eye on her. She might make you risk your life to save her. And--" I think she'll like the attention.

"And?" It's dark, but she can feel his beautiful amber eyes staring down at her.

"And you two should probably get moving before Mr. Cannibal catches up."

"Noted." Waylon laughs.


	10. Chapter Nine

The two walked through the end of the dark hall only to enter a dark generator room. Y/N had never been this far down before, so she wasn't certain. Quiet grunts echoed, and it went unnoticed until Waylon pointed out the crawling man to their left. Not important, just weird. Y/N took Waylon's arm as they carefully made their way down the viewless stairs. She tried to let her eyes focus, but she could only see a few glimpses of light.

They explored whatever area Waylon saw fit. She didn't know where they were going or what they'd missed. Y/N didn't feel the need to take lead, considering how many times she had almost gotten them killed. They walked around a somewhat lit corner, finding a chain-link door. It was locked, per usual, so the two ventured back. The next spot was home to a new source of light, just not her favorite.

Fire. Specifically, fire used to cremate the dead here. She hadn't known about a crematorium. Y/N started to realize she knew a lot less about the company she hated than she originally thought.

"Do we... Have? To go in there?" Y/N inquired, already knowing the answer. It was either this way or back to the hall with Frank.

Waylon tried to smile reassuringly. Y/N calmed her jumpy nerves, finally deciding to get it over with. They only had to go through the door. After everything else they've seen, this little trip through here wouldn't hurt too bad, right?

They briskly walked through, glancing around for batteries as they made their way to the door. The two were almost out of this creepy, shadow covered area. A hand on the door from Waylon and suddenly, the door swings wide open. Y/N and Waylon fall back, both somewhat leaning on one of the pull-out beds of a furnace. Neither able to talk. Somehow, Frank "The Cannibal" Manera found another way down to them. In shock, the two stood stock still, involuntarily allowing themselves to be shoved into the furnace. In which people were burned. Corpses. Burned here... Y/N began to panic. Enclosed in a small space with a bigger body to be burned was not exactly on her To-Do List today.

"You stay there," The two heard menacingly growled from outside, "And cook!" Holding herself up from above Waylon, her hands were tickled from the flames now beginning to lick at her.

"What are we gonna do? I knew something was... Oh...! I'm sorry, I--" Y/N stammered, tears or sweat dripping down her face. Her eyes flicked around, landing on a hole in the wall before her. Without a moment's hesitation, she crawled over Waylon and immediately began banging against it. The only trouble was now her arm was sore and the wall remained just as sturdy. Waylon moved her aside (despite her protest to "finally do something right") and started tearing the wall down himself. He tried to erase his memory from when the woman beside him was straddling him.

It felt like forever before he had actually broken the wall down, bringing the two tumbling down.

"No. NO! You are supposed to be mine!"

The two sat in the mess for a second, listening for Frank's steps to lead away from them while they tried desperately to cool down.

"And thanks to you, we survive another round of the ole Manera." Y/N shakily breathed out.

"As if you had no part in us getting out? I never would have even moved if it weren't for you finding the weak spot in the wall." Argued Waylon.

"Oh, come on now. I know that's not true..." She stood up. It hurt to admit how useless she was here, even though it isn't true. Waylon couldn't make the right words come, so he didn't say anything. He stood beside her and the two started walking to the open door on the right. If the corpse they stepped over was headed in this direction, it was good enough for them.

"Is this a church? I don't recall this one..." Y/N ambled through the pews, slowly making her way to the pulpit.

"There's another one?" Waylon just stood, occasionally looking around, but mainly watching the doctor's lazy movement.

"Yeah, it's on one of the... well, I think levels above us. I'm not too sure where we are." She gradually inches closer to the podium. Plain as it was, the room intrigued her. "The other one is Martin Archimbaud's. He's a self-proclaimed priest and prophet, but it helps keep him and some other patients under control so we never corrected him."

"Oh? I don't want to question your professionalism, but are you supposed to be sharing your patient's information with me?" He crossed his arms, hoping to rile the woman up. It doesn't work.

"Does it even matter now?" Y/N crept behind the podium. She knelt down. "Hey, I found another document." Waylon wasn't particularly interested in whatever the paper held, but the way Y/N walked to him told him to not mention it.

"How much did I not know about? This says we used to have a real priest." She looked to Waylon for answers before remembering that she had worked here years longer than he had. She shook her head. "Let's just get out of here." Y/N walked to the door with the glowing "EXIT" sign above it. Of course, it wouldn't be that easy.

The two left the room rather quickly. Back where they started, they had two options: the ladder or the doorway. After a corpse fell from the hole above the ladder, the choice was obvious.

Y/N led them around the corner but walked right into steam coming from a busted pipe.

"Agh!" She gripped her affected arm, "What on earth!? How cliche!" Y/N stormed around the now obvious spray.

"Y/N! Are you alright?" Waylon didn't know what to do for her. She nodded, but small, pain-filled tears escaped. This only made him more worried, though he didn't mention it.

Waylon and Y/N searched around the new room, only to find the only useful thing being two lockers. This meant it was back through the steam and to the ladder.


	11. Chapter Ten

Y/N was first up the ladder. Her silence worried the man under her. What happened to the talkative woman he knew before they were confronted by Frank? Was she upset with him? With herself? Once the two were on the platform, Waylon decided to ask.

"L/N, are you alright? You're being too quiet."

"I'm fine?" Y/N gave him a confused look before turning around. Waylon took her left arm, spinning her back to face him.

"I'm being serious. We can't get through this place if we keep our thoughts to ourselves." Y/N wasn't expecting to feel as uncomfortable in his hands as she did. He had held her before, so why was it bothering her now?

"I said I was fine..." She tried to take her arm back, but Waylon only tightened his grip.

"And I say you're not fine! You are acting off and we need to get this settled." Waylon barked back. Y/N shrunk back, not knowing what to say. He let out a heavy sigh, his camcorder keeps him from brushing his hair back. "I'm sorry, I just don't know if I'm the reason your acting this way..."

Y/N expression softened. She still wasn't comfortable, with how she feels and with him having yelled at her. But she did feel bad for making him worry. Her kind heart was too much, sometimes.

"Park-- Waylon, no. It isn't... you, necessarily. I'm sorry for making you feel that way." Y/N places a hand on Waylon's arm. Her tired eyes dart to floor beside them. "It's not your fault. I just feel a bit useless? Like, I would seriously be dead had you not saved me all those times. We would have been eaten by Frank if you didn't break the wall down. I'm so weak, and you keep saying I've been helpful but it doesn't feel like it! I mean, every foe we've come across, we've escaped because of you!"

Waylon feared this worse than if she had hated him. Feeling useless in this sort of place... it gets you to give up. That is NOT something he wanted from her. "Y/N, you couldn't possibly--"

"Waylon, you don't need to--"

"No, I do. Please, just... listen. You couldn't possibly be any more wonderful and helpful. The only reason I'm useful is because I can run, climb, and push. I'm just your braun. You are the one who's seen every opening for us. We can't pick what we are good at, Y/N. And I am honored to be escaping with the wonderful, kind-hearted woman standing before me. Please, don't give up on me. We can and will get out, thanks to you"

Y/N could hardly believe what she heard. Sure, she knew he would try to cheer her up. But... Her heart couldn't possibly be moving any faster. Did he really mean any of that? He didn't have a look of deceit.

"Y/N, why are you crying? Did I make things worse? Oh God, I'm sorry--"

The younger woman shook her head. A small laugh rose out of her chest. Waylon loosened his grip on her arm, allowing her to break out of his hold and hug him. The two stood like that, silent. A small "Thank you, Park" brought a pink hue to the man's cheeks.

Y/N stepped back, wiping her eyes with her thumb. She smiled now, Waylon's words helped soothe her anxieties. She still didn't completely believe him, but knowing that he believed in her made her happy.

"Well, time to head up, yeah?" Y/N turned to the hole in the ceiling and tried to climb up. Waylon lifted her the rest of the way up before following suit. He had half a mind to mention how little her skirt covered when she was climbing but decided against it after the little moment they had a few seconds prior.

The two kept climbing. Once they got to an opening, Y/N realized she would have to walk along the thin ledge bordering the drop-off. She took a deep breath. Waylon is right behind her. She needed to get to the other side as quick as possible so her fear of heights didn't mess her up.

She wasn't even on the bigger platform before she heard Waylon breathing hard. Was he scared of heights too? She quickly stepped off the ledge, allowing Waylon to follow after.

"Waylon, deep breaths. It's okay, we're on solid grounds now." Y/N tried to comfort him, getting close but leaving him space to breathe.

"Didn't you see it? How are you," He panted, "How are you so calm?"

Y/N was confused. "See what?"

"The black smoke! It just-- Agh!" Waylon gripped his head. The visions were back.

"Black smoke? I saw that back at my office but... I didn't see anything just now. Maybe my eyes were closed?" Her eyes weren't closed. But what should she have said? "Waylon, are you alright? Is it the visions?"

He nodded.

"Here, sit down. I'll look around that corner." Y/N was about to hurry off, to find something. Waylon reached out for her hand. "I'll be right back. Don't worry. I'll be safe." With a squeeze, Y/N released his hand and went hunting around the corner.

All she saw was a radio and battery. She took the battery but started worrying that the black mist he saw was a hallucination.

Y/N rushed back to her friend, only to find him massaging his head.

"Sorry, I could only find a battery." She quickly sat behind him. Before he could question what she was doing, she already had her hands on his head. "I find this is a better way to rid myself of visual headaches. At least temporarily." Her hands moved delicately against his temples. They traveled around to his forehead, even to the back of his head. He had to admit, it felt nice.

"Shouldn't we... keep going?" He mumbled. It's not that he wanted her magical touch to stop.

"We can wait until you feel better. I think we're pretty safe where we are." Waylon leaned back, resting against Y/N's body as she continued to work on his migraine.

The two were generally silent. Waylon shut his eyes. He could almost forget he was here. Forget he even came to work for Murkoff. He imagined himself back at home, the kids messing around. His wife's beautiful E/C eyes sparkled as they watched their family in joy. He felt at peace before he realized something; his wife's eyes weren't that color. Waylon immediately sat up.

Y/N felt a little jumpy since Waylon was laying against her. She hoped he couldn't hear her heartbeat. He didn't need to know about the stupid crush she had. It would only complicate things. She felt a little cold once Waylon sat up.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you." Waylon smiled back at her.


	12. Chapter Eleven

Waylon and Y/N crawled through a vent beside them before hopping down onto the pile of crates underneath. Y/N noted the lockers lining the wall before the two left through the door.

"Logic says to go to the light, but..." Y/N tugged onto Waylon, letting him lead them through the dark. All they found was a battery, but at least Y/N's curiosity is quenched. The two back tracked to the lit hallway. Everything seemed fine. That was until they heard the oh-so familiar revving of a chainsaw.

The two took off running into the darkness of the hall before them. Y/N saw a group of people ran passed the glass doors.

"There! I told you it would open! I told you."

Y/N rushed to the boarded door in worthless hope.

"Keep moving, Graham, we're almost out."

"Guys! Please, listen to me! Hello? Over... here..." Y/N tried to speak to the others on the other side. She huffed out a heavy breath. Why would they have heard her, no one else did.

Waylon placed a hand on her back, leading her to the next room. It was full of books, but in an unorganized way. They found nothing of interest and decided to move on. Unfortunately, they ran into Frank.

"Come to me"

Y/N and Waylon ran, followed by the crazed cannibal. Through a game of cat and mouse, the two collectively gathered three scratches. The two leapt over desks and fallen bed frames. Y/N reflexively maneuvered through a small opening, Waylon following close behind.

"How does he always just, like, appear?!" Y/N complained. She gasped for breath.

"Magic?" Waylon jokes, adding jazz hands. She chuckles, shaking her head before leading them into the next messy room. Well, hallway.

They were so desensitized to all the blood and gore around at this point that they barely took too much notice to it.

"Turn it off.." Startled, Waylon and Y/N readied themselves to run, "Shut down the gas, please, I can't..."

After her brain calmed down, Y/N rushed to the man stuck in one of the decontamination chambers. "Oh.. Oh no. Sir? How? How do I...?" She turned to look to Waylon. Her eyes panicked. "Waylon, what do we do? How do we help?" She didn't want a repeat of Dr. Smashed-Brains, and she felt like there was something she could do to help him. If only there were a crowbar around, or, or... Y/N racked her mind for a way to get this man out to clean air.

"To get through, we'll have to turn off the main valve," Waylon said so matter-of-factly.

"Uh, yeah, ok, but what about him?"

"What about him?" Y/N looked at Waylon as though he had grown another head.

"Waylon, he will die if we don't help him." The edge in her voice was sharp. She couldn't quite believe that he seemed so uncaring after all he had said to her earlier.

"What do you think we'll be able to do? We can't just open those airtight doors, Y/N. And look at him," Waylon gestures to the contained man, who is currently kneeling and clutching his throat, sliding down the door. "He won't last long enough for us to do anything." Y/N's face was getting red, whether from anger or tears Waylon wasn't sure.

"Aren't you a computer guy? Hack into it or something!" Her arms flailed around, no exact purpose intended. She stomped to Waylon.

"And how would you like me to do that? There aren't exactly any computers for the 'computer guy' to do any hacking on." Here they go once more, arguing. Each time they managed to bond, something happened to rile them up again.


	13. Chapter Twelve

"Look, I'm sorry but we couldn't have saved him." Waylon looked to the fuming woman. The two were hunting down the main valve to the gas lines. Y/N ignored him as she picked up a document not too far from the decontamination room.

"Wow, so they tried to influence human behavior through chemicals. SO surprising..." Y/N grumbled. Waylon frustratedly followed her as she marched around the corner and to the door at the end of the hall. The farther she walked, the more annoyed and tired of herself she became. She stopped and sighed, "Ok, fine. I'm sorry. I get it, he wouldn't have lived no matter how much we tried. Honestly, I'm sick of little miss princess petty, too."

"Shh," Waylon interrupted.

"And, yeah. I need to calm down in times like these. I shouldn't keep--"

"Y/N! Shh!" Waylon gripped her arms. She was offended at first but soon heard what caused Park to act this way. There was a banging somewhere around them.

"Do you think it's Frank?" Y/N whispered. The man shook his head whilst shrugging his shoulders; a very unhelpful move. The two slowly continued their previous trek, completely alert. They finally came to the only available door. A quick inhale, Waylon opened the door.

"AaaAAAHH! Who the FU--" Y/N and Waylon stumble back, ready to run. A patient stood, staring at them, before walking to a door behind him. Confused, the two look to each other. Y/N barely stifles a laugh.

The patient began beating his head into the other door, allowing the duo to sneak by.

"Well, we know what that banging sound was." Y/N followed after Waylon as he ducked beneath a counter to the open room. She, still, felt the need to help the stranger.

"I wish I could put some pad or something there so he doesn't hurt his head..."

"I think something in his head is already hurting." They exit the room, complaining about how maze-like the rooms and halls were. Nothing interesting came up, but they did find a bunch of open rooms with beds. Two of the rooms connected by open vents.

They continued down a hallway filled with clutter.

"I can smell you!"

Y/N jerked her head to Waylon, who did the same thing. "Why does he keep showing up??" She growled under her breath. The closest hiding spot was the vents, which they immediately leaped into.

"So, come here often?" Y/N scrunches her face at Waylon's comment.

"Yeah, I hear it's the tightest space to be. Typically overcrowded..."

A grin spreads across the males face. Y/N rolls her eyes jokingly, still wishing she were out of here.

"Okay, I think it's clear." Y/N hops down after Waylon, receiving help. They carefully continue wandering around, looking for a way out.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Y/N and Waylon come across a room with double doors, which they deemed to look important. It was a laboratory, but what surprised Y/N was how neat and uncluttered the room was. She was busy looking around, not noticing the file Waylon picked up.

"Hey! I found our favorite cannibals records!" Waylon looked back to Y/N expecting some reaction.

"I've probably got it memorized. I try to remember as much as possible for new patients."

Waylon, slightly disheartened at her reaction, folded the paper and stuffed it in a pocket. He swiftly followed after the woman, glancing around.

"Go away," Y/N jumped back into Waylon, "This is my place."

Y/N looked down sympathetically to a man huddled up to the side of the wall. She quickly reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Officer, I am glad we found you. I'm Y/N, and this is Waylon. You should--"

"You're going to get me killed. Fuck off!" He interrupted.

"Yeah, ok, fine. Fucking off right now." She grumbled. She figured, if he was able to live this long and has a weapon, he'll be safe.

Y/N grabs onto Waylon and pushes through the door beside the hiding officer. Before them is a gassed decontamination chamber and some busted gas pipes. Following the only path open, the two come across a room with four screens above a glass window. The flashing red lights were beginning to give her a headache.

"Walrider project? Why is that all that's written on those screens?" Just as Y/N said this, the small saw could be heard. "Frankly, he is getting on my nerves!"

"At least the fucker announces when he's around," Waylon chuckles over his shoulder to the woman behind him.

They walk into a much larger room with metal beds and arms inside glass cases. Y/N wonders off, scouting the area for something that could be of use. The area was surprisingly both big and small at the same time, holding another hall with doors that looped around. She was slightly disappointed to see no documents. The place looked as if it would have had something in it. Well, besides the one battery she found. As she entered through the final door, she almost screamed as she felt something grab her legs from beneath a bed.

"Get down here," whispered a voice. Confused, Y/N stupidly lowered herself to see who was speaking. "Hurry!"

Y/N was pulled under the bed, held from behind by a quivering form. Her heart was beating rapidly. I swear, if this isn't Waylon...

Loud thunks resembling footsteps approached the door, quickly followed with shouts of "Feed me! Feed me!" Slowly, as if hesitant to leave the unchecked room, he sounded off in another direction.

The arms behind her released Y/N, who then scrambled out from under the bed and up to a standing position. Thankfully, she sees it is Waylon crawling out next. He seems to wobble as he stands.

"Are you alright?" Y/N whispers so that she isn't heard by Frank.

"Yeah, I mean, sort of." She can barely see him reach at his head. Her hands instantly fly to his head, hoping to inspect whatever the problem is.

"Wow, he sure got you good... " Waylon's injury was bloody, yes, but luckily nothing terribly serious. "I wish I had clean water and bandages on me. Here, uh, sit down."

Y/N knew she had to be quick so they could get out and away from Frank. She also knew what she was doing wasn't really going to help much. Waylon complied, bending down before her. She took the skirt of her dress and tried to dab at the blood.

"Is this supposed to help?"

"I'm trying to clean it with what I've got." The woman pulled back, somewhat satisfied with her work. "Now, I could wrap one of my stockings around as a compress, but I don't have anything to pin it with and I doubt you would like going around with that on your head."

"Yeah, I'm sure this is fine. Thanks, doc." Waylon and Y/N smile at each other in the silence. "Oh, right. I found a way around that broken chamber."

"Lead the way."


	15. Chapter Fourteen

"So the way around was just... on top?" Y/N inquired, crawling above the decontamination chamber. She peeked over the edge.

"I guess we need to start looking harder, huh?" Y/N hopped off the ledge, this time only using Waylon to stabilize herself. "At least we won't have to look too hard for the gas room." Waylon tilted his head, motioning behind the two to the door labeled Gas Room.

The door was open, making it easy to enter. Probably left by some fleeing workers. Y/N waltzed to the only valve in the room, trying to turn it. She was pleased to find it wasn't all too difficult to turn. Proud of herself, the woman turned to Waylon.

"Shall we?"

The pair scrambled through the previous rooms, avoiding Frank to the best of their abilities. They managed to get by unscathed, thankfully. In fact, when the two reached the second chamber previously closed, they became suspicious. Wasn't this working out a little too well?

Y/N shook the thought. Better to just be grateful. And she found a battery!

The doctor was startled to find a chainlink fence and stairway on the other side of a purifying chamber doors. She quickly stumbled her way down, only tripping a few times from her high heels catching on the grated floor.

Y/N came to a stop after the final few steps, panting. There were about six levels she had to run down. Waylon came soon after.

"Do you think... this is it?" Y/N voiced, barely above a whisper. Could this be their escape? They were outside. Sure, it was foggy, but that could act in their favor. She dared a hopeful glance to her partner, who only shook his head.

Of course not. "Lead the way," Y/N sighed.

Luckily, a good portion of the walk path was lit. Y/N still clung onto Waylon's arms just in case, but at least she could sort of see independently.

Y/N looked around with Waylon, trying to find a way to go. Unsurprisingly, most of the gates were chained together. The only other place to go was through a big gate door.

"Who was that!?" Y/N gripped Waylon's jumper tighter. Someone had run across the path up ahead.

"I don't know. Too dark to see, but too bright for the night vision."

"So we're blind right now? You have to be kidding me." This certainly set the pair on edge. Who knew what was out here? At least she could see in the building. What was worse was the sound of footsteps heard all around.

A song, I need something. I'm getting all jittery again. Y/N's thoughts ran, constantly seeing things out of the corner of her eye. She tried the humming again. She tried counting what she could see, and hear, and smell (Which, in retrospect, wasn't too great of an idea). Her progress was quick to fall when she tripped over a lifted spot in the ground.

"Are you okay?" Waylon worriedly asked. Y/N was still holding on to Waylon, meaning she was safe from a fall. But that didn't mean she was fine with the raptor screech she let out.

"Uh, yeah. Sure! Let's just... go." Giving her a glance over, Waylon decided she was fine. He hoped he could hold out and be strong for her right now.

Y/N and Waylon somehow found their way to a well-lit area beside Mount Massive. Y/N found it led to a closed area the size of a hallway. It was oddly comforting; odd because it was a closed space that she couldn't see in, yet felt safe in.

There was a grated door to her right. Looking in, Y/N saw that there was a patient playing basketball. Normal, if not in the middle of the fog at night. Honestly, as long as he was on the other side of that door, she had no problem with it.

"Is... Is he playing with ahead?" Upon Waylon's words, Y/N looked closer. Indeed, it was a bodiless head being thrown through the hoop. Even more reason to avoid the court.

"Hahaa..." Y/N confusedly looked up to Waylon. Why was he laughing?

"He's losing against himself." Waylon shakes his head looking down to Y/N. "There is mathematical proof, if you add one plus two plus three plus... You can go on for infinity and finally arrive upon a large number."

"Waylon? What are you talking about?" Y/N was quite concerned now. He was talking out of his mind. He ran a hand through his hair, looking off into the distance. His face hardened before he turned abruptly to Y/N, gripping her shoulders.

"I'm losing my grip on things,"

As if that wasn't obvious, Y/N nervously thought. Her heart rate picked up when he pulled her closer to him; this time, it was fear.

"I was thinking about the drive here, Y/N. 400 miles in a rented truck to a job that miraculously appeared just in time to help with the bills, the debts, the insurance." Waylon hesitated, but laced his hand through her hair. "I don't want to die here."

"God, Waylon. I won't let you. We are going to get out of here. We are both going to go home. You WILL see your kids and wife again." Although scared out of her mind, Y/N wouldn't let him give up hope. She liked him, loved him even. Loved him in whatever sense of the word, she didn't care which. As a friend. As a romantic. As a survivor. Even scared of him in his current state, Y/N knew she had to help. She leaned into his shoulder, shaking. "I don't suppose we could keep in touch after this blows over?"

Waylon's torso shook in what Y/N interpreted as laughter.

"Of course we will." Waylon leaned back, freeing Y/N. As she got a better look at the man's face, she could see tear trails. Beckoning him closer to her, she wiped any tears away. She didn't expect him to lean into her hands as he had. It was unlike when she was messaging his head. This was quite different. When she stood back, ready to walk on, he was clinging closer to her.

She thought she would have liked this. Now, she only wants him to go back.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

There was an electric silence buzzing around Y/N as she climbed the cold, metal ladder. She had gone first since she didn't believe Waylon was in any position to lead at the moment. He had gotten himself turning circles in some room outside of the prison hall doors. The biggest issues she faced were not being able to see in the fog and not being allowed the camera. Waylon downright refused to give it to her, saying he wanted to be able to help.

If it kept him sane, why not?

Now, Y/N had to find a way to the radio tower Waylon wanted to get to. It was an extremely difficult task, with all of the fog. Oh, and has she mentioned there was a lot of fog? Because there was a lot of it.

"Sounds like there are people around," Waylon said out of nowhere, considering Y/N thought he was still climbing the ladder.

"Guess we'll have to keep our voices down, then." She motioned for Waylon to follow while looking for any exit in the chain link fencing. The doctor found a busted hole in the fencing, which was honestly super terrifying to think someone was around her all this time that made that.

Waylon jumped through first, saying "I wanna make sure nothing's dangerous over there." Y/N, of course, had slight difficulty jumping through since the hole was considerably high in the fence. Unfortunately, she faced a couple of scrapes and tore bits of her uniform.

Y/N whined a bit, gripping at the now bleeding scratches on her leg. Waylon didn't allow her time to wallow in her own pity, though. He grasped her hand tightly, leading her down the thin and confined walkway. His pace was quick. Y/N was nervous; he really shouldn't be doing this.

She didn't know what to do to help him for the first time. Truly, she could always rely on security guards to help her if a patient seemed hostile. What if she says something and he snaps? Y/N's heart doesn't want to believe he would hurt her, but her brain knows. It knows that he's at a broken point right now, and anything can and will set him off. As if worrying about deranged patients weren't enough...

"He looks... Nervous."

Y/N felt time stop as soon as she heard that voice. Even Waylon paused to see where the sound was coming from.

"I would like to kill him."

This meant trouble. Serious trouble. Y/N knew what they were capable of. These twins were once under her charge. If Waylon and she become a real target of theirs, it is more than possible they will die.

"Let us leave her for us." What the first twin said confused her.

"I agree, brother. She would be quite delectable."

"Quite. Do you remember when--"

"Yes."

Freaking out, Y/N pushed against Waylon to get him to move again. She wanted away from whatever conversation they were having about her. Surely they didn't remember her, right? The others didn't seem to.

"So you're delectable now, huh?" Waylon chuckled as you were still dragging him away.

"Park, please. That terrifies me. I don't even know what they mean!" Her voice quivered. She was scared. Scared of the twins, of Waylon's current self, and of the responsibility of escape she now holds alone.

Waylon, too, was scared. His mind was everywhere and nowhere. He didn't quite feel himself. He felt as though his delirium took over everything. Luckily, he felt like he was gaining more control over himself. He could help again. But a part of him liked Y/N being in charge. He liked being able to have the weight off of his shoulders. Perhaps, he thought, he'd wait until she really needed him-- no, that was a horrible idea. Soon, those naked twins would come and he would need to protect her.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

"Hello! Um, please stay right where you are." Y/N held her hands up to place a barrier between the twins and Waylon and her. All she needed was to get to the door on the left. She had prayed that she wouldn't have to face these men, but apparently, this is something she would have to face.

"Of course, whatever you wish, your highness"

"What other command do you think we'll have to obey, brother?"

Y/N carefully stalked to the door, keeping Waylon behind her. Her eyes never left the figures' large builds, waiting for some form of movement. The two stayed still before her, only watching her in amusement.

Y/N guided Waylon as they began to sprint away. Waylon found a gate and slammed it open.

"Waylon, watch--!" A head flew by, landing right in front of him. Waylon jumped back, directly into Y/N. He quickly recovered, pulling Y/N in with him before shutting the gate door.

"Spoilsport!"

Blood dripped from the body in the basketball hoop from above. Presumably the body to the head being thrown around.

Logic says this was not a friendly place to spend any more time in. "Waylon, let's go."

Grabbing his arm, she lead him through the foggy court.

"I'm not a patient, L/N. I can walk on my own."

"Of... Of course, yes, I'm sorry. I just didn't want to get los-- AAAhh!" Y/N felt a sharp pain from her back. The patient previously throwing the head around had found the two in the fog from the talking. His bony hands had pushed her at full strength.

"Shirts and skins or fuck off!" Biting on her hand, Y/N was running away from the shirtless patient while Waylon's arm looped around her waist to keep up with her.

They rushed past the multiple patients staring at them. Fear pounding into Y/N's head. This was undoubtedly a common theme for her now.

Up another ladder the two went.

This time, they were greeted with a security tower. Rushing around to the door open on the other side, Y/N saw it only held a document.

A document on Wernicke's experiment seeming to be airborne.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

The woman folded the document and put it with the others. There was no reason to worry about it. If whatever it was came after her, there isn't much she could do.

"Out we go, Waylon.." Y/N brushed past the man to further their progress in escape. The eeriness seemed to dissipate since she was quite upset and in pain. Her focus was clouded but tunneled.

"Park, pick those feet up! I want out of here!"

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

"Excuse me? I--" Slightly infuriated and shocked, Y/N turned to see a wide-eyed Waylon with his hands raised in surrender. "Oh. It was a... rando. Sorry."

She swore she couldn't even tell where each sound was coming from. The sound of her and Waylon's feet against the grates drowned in with cries for help and shouts of anguish.

As Y/N and her companion approached another building, a thin patient ran by, bumping her shoulder. This gave her a scare, obviously. So many jump scares, it was almost if she were in some horror game or something.

"Come back! You have to come back!"

Y/N continued on her trek until she heard the sound of a phone off its hook, which caught her attention. Though nothing was on the other line, She found a ladder to the right of the doorway. She decided she was to go first, but Waylon stopped her.

"What is it? I wanna be able to scout if it's safe or not." She truly did not believe Waylon was in any position to be alone in a new space. "Stay put, doctors orders."

"No, I want to do this."

"Waylon why are you being so--" Y/N was interrupted as Waylon pulled her off of the ladder and set her aside. "What are you doing?"

He didn't answer her as he climbed higher and reached the landing. Y/N waited impatiently as Waylon supposedly scoped out the area.

"Don't trust them."

What? Y/N was not waiting for the O.K. any longer. She began climbing. Once she reached the top, she saw Waylon listening to a patient.

"They'll tell you it's science but it's not. They were..." Y/N crept closer to the two, silencing her footsteps as to not alarm either man, "Waiting for us. In this place, Billy understood."

Y/N stopped shortly from grabbing Waylon. She knew the story being told is sad. She's been hearing it all night. Reading it even. She can't say she's shocked anymore. These poor people placed their faith in what seems to be a failed project.

"They've always been here."

Shaking her head, the young doctor took Waylon's arm and led him away- not before giving a final sorrowful nod to the onlooking patient.

"I can't believe how sick this place is... And you've been working here for years."

"Hey now!" Y/N sent a disgusted face to the man beside her, "I didn't know they were like this when I signed on! I only wanted to help the mentally ill."

Waylon shook his head.

"Besides, you worked here too, you jerk."

Gripping the door handle, Y/N prepared herself for what she was about to see. Couldn't be too weird, right? Small looking security room on top of a roof beside a calm spoken patient. Surely it was nothing they haven't seen yet.

As soon as she opened it, she closed it before carefully reopening it. Corpses lay beside boxes. A large bloodstain adorned the far wall. Someone chasing another with seemingly ill intent. These were a few things one did not want to find behind a closed door. Unfortunately, these were things Y/N and Waylon did find.

As they walked down the horrid hall, everything appeared like it was a really good haunted house. Strobe lights in the room left of them, showing the shadows of a very physical one-sided fight. Doors were being banged. Some bodies looked like a manikin, glossy and without facial emotions. This most likely from the time that they have been dead. But it only seemed like hours since this began.

"How long has it been?" Y/N mumbled.

The only openable door revealed a dark room. The camera showed a whiteboard and some chairs. Walking in, which seemed like a horrible idea, The pair found a comm room.

Y/N hurried to grab the radio talky and tried to send a message out. She was so caught up she didn't hear Waylon grunt behind her.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Especially violent-ish chapter!

"Leadville 911, what's your emergency?"

"Yes, hello? Um, I am currently in Mount Massive Asyl--" Y/N tried to respond to the male on the other end, but someone was taking her opportunity away.

Y/N was thrown to the ground, more scrapes and bruises sure to come. She was shocked. Utterly and terrifically shaken. She tried to crawl away, hearing the bangs of metal against metal.

"Oh, no you don't!"

Pulled back by her hair, Y/N shrieked. She recognized this voice in the most chilling person. Jeremy Blaire. She always knew something was off with him. It was pretty obvious, as he was reportedly abusive to employees and patients. But she meant outside of that. Never did she want to be on the receiving side of his violence again but here she was.

"Y/N L/N... Perfect to reunite, isn't it?" His baton was holding her beneath him by her throat. She couldn't respond if she wanted to.

"I certainly hope you didn't plan on leaving. You know I didn't let you last time." His smirk was so disturbing. As if he had won something and knew she hadn't wanted to play. Her nails dug into his hand but it seemed to do nothing to him. He shifted his weight on her, quickly grabbing onto the hair closest to the back of her scalp.

"Get up. If I'm not killing you, I'm keeping you. You haven't died yet and I need a bit of lady luck." One hand held her waist as he lifted her, the other still grasping her locks.

Each time Y/N struggled, he only hurt her more. A jab to the side, a yank on her hair. She found it easier to just comply and find a way out later. She hadn't heard anything from Waylon and feared he left her.

As she was being pulled to the door, Y/N caught sight of Waylon's face on the ground.

"Waylon!" This time when she struggled, Blaire let go. She tumbled to the floor.

"Oh? You know the whistleblower by name? What a small world."

"What did you do to him, sir?!"

A brisk laugh escaped him. He held up his baton, signaling it to be the reason Waylon was blacked out.

"Still with the formalities? I think I like that..." He moved over to the woman cradling Waylon's head as she tried to figure out how to help.

"Please, leave us alone! All we want to do is leave!" Y/N began to choke up. Surprisingly, she realized she feared Blaire more than she feared the patients trying to kill her. Could it be because he was sane enough to know what he was doing unprovoked? Or was it just natural, from before the current madness took over the hospital? From her filing to resign? From the physical threat he imposed on her?

"And I-" He pulled Y/N up from Waylon, she began to scream and claw for the limp laying man.

"No!"

"-Can't let the story get out." Blaire took heavy breaths. The doctor was putting up a good fight. He didn't remember her being this strong before. "Come on you. Remember old times?"

The woman flailing in his arms was hysterical. There was no way on God's green earth was she going to leave Waylon here unconscious. Not after she promised she would get him back to his family. She wasn't thinking about herself right now, not when she was dedicated to duty.

"Mr. Blaire, please! Let him leave at least! He's got a family! I'll stay if that's what it takes! I'll be loyal! Just let him escape!"

Y/N felt a small glimmer of hope shine in her as Jeremy Blaire looked to be pondering her request. He wasn't terrible, sometimes he would-- well. If it benefitted him, he might follow a request.

"I think you've forgotten," Tears began to flow more now as his grip on her tightened. He pulled her towards the doorway. "I don't do compromises."

The burning Y/N felt from his arms as she weakly struggled was unbearable. She felt as though the walls were closing in- which they were. Just the only walls closing in on her were the walls of opportunity. She had to find a way out. She needed to help Waylon. She needed to--

"Agh!" Blaire released the younger woman, surprising her.

She quickly turned on her heel to see what had happened.

Waylon! He knocked Blaire right in the back of the head, no real sign of regret.

"Get off of her!" Y/N flew past her still recovering boss and straight to Waylon.

"You're okay! And better than before! Oh, thank... I had no idea what to do, Waylon... You-you saved me again!"

"We aren't done here!" Y/N turned and hid behind Waylon as he held up his arm in defense.

"How dare you take my business and my employees! Right from under my nose..."

"Mr. Blaire--"

"QUIET! I have heard just enough from my supposed loyal worker. I thought you were different. That's what you told me time after time. I guess it was all to avoid a padded cell of your own."

The suited man dashed at them, knocking Waylon over once more. He was about to go for Y/N before they all heard a loud sound (other than Park's short breaths).

"Do me a favor and die here, Park." With a threatening point of his baton and one last glance to Y/N, Blaire booked it for the exit.

"Well. Thank GOD he's gone."

Y/N scrunched her face up at the man to her right.

"Really? That's it? I don't feel like it's... over? Like--" The sound of something heavy being thrown interrupted the woman once more. The two were quick to react. React as in they ducked behind the wall and tried to find the cause. A large man dangling chains stalked the area.

"Is that CHRIS??" Y/N whispered loudly. Waylon tilted his head in annoyance.

"How is it that you happen to know every big villain we come across?"


	20. Chapter Nineteen

Stealth. It's a thing we all want when avoiding someone. Unfortunately, Y/N and Waylon were not in prime sneaking ability after the run-in they had with Mr. Blaire.

"Little pigs!" The two dash through the halls, somehow finding themselves lost in the limited space. They eventually find an area Y/N deemed too small for their assailant to squeeze through and rushed in.

Catching breath, the pair took little time to look around the new area for anything useful.

"Attention Murkoff personnel," Y/N jumped at the sound of the intercom, slightly put off by the random announcement,

"An emergency evacuation is in process, please proceed immediately through the Administrative Block to exit. Patients and the restrained are to remain in their rooms calmly until help arrives. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Wow, a bit too late for that announcement." Y/N scoffed.

She followed as Waylon opened a door beside a bloody corpse, lifting her feet over the remains. Y/N immediately saw a security guard writhing on the floor. She wanted to help him, but...

"Sir, how may I help? Can you stand?"

"We have faith in all the wrong things. And it will destroy us." Waylon placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, shaking his head. Which, per usual, she ignored.

"Many of us do. But we can't dwell on that. Come with us, we'll get you out of here." Her voice was soft, hoping she could save another soul from this hell.

"The doctor once told me that if you showed a caveman technology, he would think it's magic. And that if you showed a modern man magic, he'd think it technology."

Y/N was taken back by the relevance of this. Perhaps it's true, about the dying man being the best poet. It became clear to her that he would not be joining them as he laid his head back down on the filthy bathroom tiles.

Hesitantly making her way back to Waylon, who was standing sluggishly in the doorway, Y/N silently cast her hopes on the laying man.

After leaving the confining room, the two ran into a familiar face for Y/N.

"Father Martin?"

"Another poor soul. Don't be afraid, you're doing His work... Whether you know it or not." Steady with his work on, well, whatever it is. D O W N T is clearly being written in blood.

"Father Martin, please come with u--" Waylon is quick to shut Y/N up and dragged her to a hole in the ground.

"Waylon, I'm getting real sick of this."

"Y/N, you are being too kind-hearted. You don't realize how dangerous these men are."

"Oh? I'm only a psychiatrist. And a psychiatrist whose patients were those men. But, I guess you know better."

The two walked in tense silence for a moment.

"I'm sorry, Waylon, that was kinda more snarky than I meant it."

Silence.

"Way...?"

"How was I ever a part of this inhuman greed-driven moral genocide? The monsters Murkoff ripped from tortured minds and the lengths their jack-booted business school worms will go to protect it."

Oh dear, Y/N thought, these reflecting monologues don't usually spell out good for Waylon. Of course, she knew what he meant. The torture Jeremy Blaire was so willing to do to the patients, the illegal actions he took to secure the secrets of his company. Waylon looked to Y/N/

"I've never prayed a day in my life, Y/N, but if some small-minded interventionist God is listening," Raising his voice, Waylon cast out, "Kill Jeremy Blaire before I die."

Y/N... couldn't bring herself to this same reaction. Sure, she's had similar thoughts and opinions, but for some reason, she had no resentment to wish anyone dead. After all, her duty is to heal others.

"There's no pain he doesn't deserve." Waylon pulled the shorter woman closer, staring at her.

They could still hear the humming of Father Martin in the background. Sometimes, Y/N wishes the patients picked one of the slightly less creepy management tools that she presented. She has begun to realize the unnerving effect it could have when in a dark, dangerous, and scary area.

"I'm not the sick one! You lying motherfuckers!"

Waylon and Y/N approached a series of cells, two of which contained very vocal patients

"No more sickness! No more nightmares!"

Y/N wormed around the seemingly violent man, looking for anything useful. On the desk, she found a document.

"Ugh, it's from Blaire."

The note was an email sent to one Mister Trager (Who Y/N knew, unfortunately). The two were always sickeningly close. Rumor around the offices has it that Trager was never a certified doctor and only came in on Blaire's favor. Y/n pocketed the note, since it proved many points on the issue of female "pregnancies".

"Come on, Y/N. These guys are driving me mad."


	21. Chapter Twenty

"Oh God, one of them's coming. It's not even human anymore!"

As the two rounded the corner, a guard rushed to lock the wired door. A loud clang rang in Y/N's ears.

"Lock it! Shut it in!"

Waylon pulled Y/N to the wall, hoping for some form of cover in the dark.

"Do you think," the woman peeked around the corner, seeing no one, "he might have been talking about us?"

Waylon thought for a moment. Surely they didn't look that bad, right? It's only been a few hours.

"Looks clear to me, Waylon. Let's go." She started walking out, not bothering to wait for Waylon as she knew he'd follow.

Nearby, she found a room that was full of cabinets and papers. Nothing too interesting besides a new battery. Y/N gave it to the slow trodden IT man since she had no use for it.

Her eyes had recently gotten quite good at picking up light in dark spaces.

"Nothing else in here." She mumbled.

The two trailed back out of the door. The room they were in, which was between the halls and the previous room, was empty aside from the blank computer.

They walked out. The extension of the hall they were in before dead-ended, so they went down the small and empty hall across from them.

Suddenly, Y/N's ears perked upon a shrill sound. Metal-- light in weight. Chains?

She glanced over her shoulder, only to see the enlarged silhouette of a former patient: Chris Walker.

Now, as a "patient", he was especially rough. He was an ex-military man, after all. But something she noticed when they saw him at the top of the tower was how... different he was. Giant. Furious. Searching.

It didn't take more than a second for Waylon to take off, Y/N trailing behind.

Quite tired of being chased, Y/N tried to push whatever she could behind her to slow down the assailant. Luckily, he was already pretty slow to begin with.

"Y/N!"

Looking ahead, Y/N saw Waylon at an open window, beckoning her to him. Quickly, she took flight, leaping out the window.

"Well, Waylon."

"What?"

"We are outside again."

Y/N slowly made her way down from the platform they landed on. Waylon, helping her down, rolled his eyes.

"That doors locked, so we'll have to walk around," Waylon began. Y/N absentmindedly followed him, slightly bothered by a flickering light to their left.

Following the chain link fence was an open door. Which led to stairs. Going down. Never really something that leads to great things, Y/N thinks.

The stairs lead to a drafty tunnel filled with pipes.

"What's the point of this? It leads nowhere," Waylon stood at the end of the path. Y/N went to stand beside him, only a tug of her hair caught her off guard. She stifled a scream, twisting herself to pull away from whoever it was that had grabbed her. "Y/N? Y/N! Calm down!"

Looking to Waylon, her spasming slowed down.

"What?? Who is--" Following Waylon's hand, which pointed up, Y/N noticed her hair had not been grabbed. It got caught on a part of the fence that had been removed.

"UGHH," she groaned as Waylon untangled her hair, "Now I look like an idiot."

"Oh, come on now." Y/N waited for the attempt at comfort, but it never arrived. Instead, he got down on one knee to help boost her over the fence.

"And they say chivalry is dead."

Once out of the tunnel, the young woman found the flickering light from before to be a sparking light post. Dangerous.

"AaaaaaAAHHHhH"

Cautious, the duo jogged in the direction of a scream.

"It came from in there" Waylon whispered. Y/N peaked through an opening between the boards keeping the door locked.

A man stood in the middle of a room. She tried to see what he was up to. Was he the one who'd screamed?

She jumped back; the man-made direct eye contact with her. In fact, she was fairly certain she could remember this man, despite his slicked-back hair, burn marks, and disheveled vest and dress shirt.

That new patient of hers, Mr. Gluskin.

"Well, Waylon, good news or bad news first?"

"Good news?"

"I didn't see a bloody pile of corpses on the other side."

"What's the bad news??" Y/N began moving away from the door.

"We have another person to worry about... And I know this one, too."

Upon reaching a new gated area, Waylon was mentally too preoccupied to notice a sign saying "E l e c t r i c F e n c e" and, foolishly, shocked himself trying to open the door.

"Are you okay, Waylon?!" Y/N quickly grabbed hold of his hand, trying to see if she could treat it.

"I'll be fine. We've gotta find an electrical switch somewhere." He began heading to the right.

"Are you sure? That looked like it hurt."

"I'll be fine, Y/N."

Following Waylon, she allowed herself the time to check their surroundings... to the best of her abilities. No one around, so that's one worry gone. No open doors, besides the one they were entering. Two trees...

A battery!

She handed the small object off to the steady-paced man before her, proud of her small achievement.

Entering the new, underground area, Y/N felt oddly confined, considering how tight the hall was. This was worse than the last time they'd been outside.

"You're one of those... Murkoff officials, aren't you?!"

Unsure if where the voice was coming from, the two proceeded slowly. Waylon was still in front of Y/N, which is why she was confused when she noticed him stiffen slightly.

Which, of course, had to be pretty weird all considering.

About to question him, Waylon shushed her, hoping to keep her from seeing...

"Come on... yeah, come to daddy..."

Uncomfortable, Y/N looked through a grated door only to find a patient above a pile of corpses.

"Oh my-- Is he...?" In shock, she whispered into Waylon's ear, to which he nodded.

Aghast, the pair ventured further, trying to stifle their laughter. A very obvious switch to the power laid ahead. As Waylon pulled the lever, steps on the ceiling above them sounded.

Once they reached the electric fence, the dreaded sound of electricity coursed its way through once again.

"Do we seriously have to go back?" Y/N complained.

"I can't believe it's back on" The man growled.

"I know, how annoying. Do you think Mr. Bater turned it on?" The doctor chuckled, already walking back towards the way they came.

"You know, Lisa was always the reasonable one." Y/N heard behind her. She felt a shiver go up her back. Lisa... his wife? "She'd tell me to calm down, to take the wider view."

"Oh..." Not knowing what to say, but not wanting it to be this quiet, Y/N spoke up, "Waylon? It's alright if you don't want to go back down there. I can go flip the switch."

"I couldn't ask you to do that." And she hoped she wouldn't have to.

"It's fine. When I get the power off, you can prop the door open so we don't have to worry about it getting shut off." Why was she pushing this?

"Well, alright. I could use a breather."

aaahhhhhHHH

"Alright! I'll be right back."

Why did she volunteer for this? She felt as though someone could pop out of anywhere. Slinking lower down the stairs, she could hear her heart beat louder.

The trail of blood from leading out of the room with The Jerker towards the switch. How important was the switch really?

Withheld breath, she crept towards the switch, tension dissipating as she could find no one else. Flipping the switch, Y/N turned to leave.

"AH!"

The Beater was directly in front of her now, scaring her to near death. Even worse, she couldn't stop his (most likely offending) fist from colliding with her jaw.

Taking hold of the pain with her hand, Y/N dashed away from the man.

"That HURT, sir!"

She felt like she would fall, with all the turns she had to follow. She pushed herself harder as she heard the grunts coming from behind her.

"Y/N?"

"GO WAYLON!"

"What...?"

"JUST GO! HE'S RIGHT BEHIND ME!"

Confused, Waylon took too long for the woman so she grabbed his hand, running with him. Shutting every door she could behind her. It wasn't until they were deep in a new part of Murkoff that they stopped, not hearing the crazed man anymore.

"What... what happened?" Waylon tried to catch his breath.

"That Yank-ee sh-shut the power off. He fuckin hit me!"


	22. Chapter TwentyOne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING; small TW about suicide down below. Not really a large detail, but just in case.

The duo made their way outside once more, only, it was less open spaced... If you can believe that. And now, the only path ahead was right through a thing of water. Really convenient.

Not only did Y/N have to worry about the patients and Waylon, now pneumonia was a concern.

Waylon leading, the two slid into the dark body of water. Y/N grew disgusted at the mossy-somethings touching her ankle as they waded near the pipes along the building. Creepily enough, something else was in the water with them.

As soon as the first splash of water hit, Y/N rushed Waylon to the left side of the trench. Cautiously, they made their way to a ladder and hefted themselves up.

"Water monsters, huh? That's an interesting twist that we most definitely did not need." Y/N groaned, rolling her shoulders while heading out of the gated area with Waylon. They wandered and crawled through cuts in the fencing until they found a real door.

Y/N helped Waylon up from the made-entrance. Turning towards the path, she jumped back into Waylon's arms: a body was thrown before her.

"W-what..."

"Damn it..." Waylon, now seeing what caused shock, stood the doctor upright. "I don't believe in it anymore. Getting the truth out... There is no truth, only lies we've accepted too long to double back on."

Waylon pushed forward, looking at the limp man.

"It's our children. I would take the easy way out if it wasn't for the boys... Damn this place to hell..." He looked over his shoulder to Y/N. "I'll suffer anything to get out of it."

"We'll get out, Waylon. You'll see your boys run up to you, happy to have their dad back... Come on, then. We don't wanna stick around here too long."

As if Waylon didn't just crack again, they move on, entering the building before them.

It was dark, cold, and very tall. Y/N was nervous about walking up the stairs. Both because of the height and the risk of tetanus. Even worse was trying to jump over gaps in the stairs.

"Come on, you can do it, Y/N. We've jumped worse things than this."

Waylon's encouragement was appreciated, but unhelpful. Eventually, the two made it all the way to the top of the spiral staircase and to its wrapping balcony.

The only way forward was to leap off of the sketchy over-hanging board directed to the roof of another building.

"Are we really going to just... trust this thing??" Y/N did not have the guts to jump this obstacle.

"Yes, yes we are."

"Waylon, I don't know if--"

Before she could finish her sentence, Waylon had already begun racing towards the edge. Y/N shut her eyes, too anxious for the man racing towards a 15-foot jump many stories high.

"Hey, look, I'm" As soon as Y/N looked up, she found him on the lip of the other building, just before it begins to fall.

"Waylon!" The woman ran (well, walked quickly) towards the edge of her tower. Waylon lay on his back, shocked, to say the least. "Are you alright? I'm coming down!"

"Don't come down here--"

"I'll be there in a second!"

Now, trying to scale down a building was not going to go smoothly. Sure, there were bits of wood and other objects tacked up and around, but she had no confidence in them. Plus, she couldn't even throw her heels down or else she'd risk slicing her foot open.

"Any second now!" she shouted down to Waylon.

"Y/N, really. You don't have to--"

And in that second, Y/N's heel caught in a grove, causing her to fall. Lucky for her, the part of the roof she landed on was solid and didn't break through with her as it had with Waylon. Unlucky for her, it sure hurt like hell times three.

"Alright Waylon, just give me one second to..." Y/N rolled towards the hole caused by Waylon and slowly dropped down, "Here! Alright, let's get you up, jump-master extraordinaire."

"Thanks--Shit!" He winced in pain. A pretty amazing reaction considering his fall and all.

"Yeah, I feel you on that, hahah..." The doctor looked around at her environment. It was dark. Really dark. And tight spaced. "Are you okay, though? Where are we, some shed? Attic?"

"... don't need no sisters... maybe some-some girls that ain't blood..."

"Waylon, please tell me that was you..."

"I can tell you that, but it wouldn't be the truth."

"You ain't old enough to be worrying about that. We got worser problems."

The two stalk closer to the sound, cautious as they see lights through the wooden slats. Stopping, they find a patient walking around.

"Grow some hair on that pecker, Timmy, then we can talk about girls."

Even more awkwardly does the duo creep around the maze-like building, glancing at one another to ensure they are on the same path.

"If we had a visitor. If we did. He could be our goat."

'I DO NOT want to know what he means by goat' Y/N worried, knowing what was most likely meant by "goat". Waylon and she were being marshaled through tight spaces... like herd animals...

"What in creation are you talking about?"

"He just likes to hear himself talk."

"We need a goat. There's reason here..."

Y/N finds some chairs stacked upon desks. Despite the mess the entire establishment is in, she feels like this section of the building hasn't been used in quite some time.

"...To bear our guilt. Our gender. A small piece of flesh between us and the blade."

Now crawling beneath a cacophony of objects, the two continue listening, more disturbed as the single-party conversation goes on.

"You want to give them to Gluskin."

Craaaaaaaaaaapp.

"I don't want to get Gluskin's attention. He'll hurt us."

Now venturing further-for whatever reason- through extremely tight spaces between cabinets and bookshelves, Waylon briefly holds Y/N's skirt or sleeve or whatever he can grab to ground himself and be reminded that he isn't facing this alone.

"A gift for the Groom."

Suddenly, loud banging sounds echoed near them. Terrified, Y/N grabs Waylon's hands.

"We have to push forward..." She breathed out, barely above a few decibels.

Just around the corner, Waylon grumbles below his breath.

"Back inside once again. Like the harder I try to escape, the deeper I get. Dead men aren't a surprise anymore..." He hands Y/N the camcorder once he sees her expression. "Suicides seem wise."

A hanged man dangled before them. Despite what Waylon says, it still affected her. This was the first suicide she'd seen that during the night's events.

"Don't say that, Waylon! It can't... I can't believe that you..." Shocked, she bit back tears. Yes, tonight sucked massively. Was that the understatement of the decade? Yes. But... For Waylon to talk so fatalistically... She felt as though she really wasn't paying attention to his symptoms.

She couldn't be responsible, of course. She held herself to ridiculous ideals, considering what they've been through.

Waylon was already walking ahead, so she quickly caught up, eyeing him carefully.

"Quit!" Jumped from the empty shelves a disfigured man, "If they ca... If they catch us, they'll give us to him. The man downstairs. The man... Very bad. Very, very bad. Oh... Oh God..."

He collapsed, muttering to himself and too far gone. Waylon brought Y/N to a crawl space separating a room from the wall.

"Waylon, this is a terrible plan."

"Do you have a better one?"

"...Touche."

Shimmying through, trying to dodge any holes in the divider became impossible to do. Soon, it was just a matter of how quickly you avoided them.

"Rats in the walls! Kill the rats!"

"Fucking RUN, Waylon!!"

"He's here! Inside the walls! Kill him!"

The duo booked it. Tripping up here and there wasn't a big concern at the moment.

"Fish in a god-damned barrel"

As they went, Y/N picked up a battery in such a swift motion that she will remain proud of for as long as her life will allow her.

"There's a leak. Pissing down on us. Water takes everything apart."

'Cry about it' Waylon grumbled.

"Cry about it."

Huh.

"Down on us, up from the sewer. That puts us..."

"Shh! More than anything... We have an interloper."

Y/N helped Waylon up Some cabinet, who lifted her as well.

"You hear things. Water and time could drill a hole in anything."

"Was he waterboarded??" Y/N knows now is not the time for her Concerned Cathy to show, but it is slipping out.

Finally, they find an entrance to the middle of the room... Where the voice is.

Waylon is the first one out.

"There they is! What do you think?"

"Oh, he'll do."

"Y/N, hurry up, please!"

Jumping down from the hole above him, Y/N steadied herself.

"Look! There-There is an actual woman!"

"She'd do even better."

Waylon takes hold of Y/N and rushes in the only other direction as the patient Y/N now recognizes as Dissociative Denis (coworkers name for him, not hers) stalks closer.

"We'll give them both to the Groom."

"For once we agree."

The threat of the massive cleaver in Denis' hand urged them further, twisting and turning, jumping and catapulting themselves until they couldn't see the man behind them.

"You lost him, you useless fuck."

"He got away. The Groom will have us..."

"I'd prefer the 'Groom' to have none of us... is that possible?" Y/N laughed out slightly.

Climbing on the rafters, (and finding another battery), they made their way to a quaint looking stairwell leading down... of course, in the literal direction to hell.

"Here comes the bride~"

"Here comes your bride, Mr. Gluskin!"

"Fucking idiots delivered themselves to Gluskin's Hell."


	23. Chapter Twentytwo

A decrepit room strewn with broken tables and old sewing machines caused every hair on the young psychiatrist to rise. There was an odd natural light pouring into the room, furthering her unease.   
Y/N took the time to venture the room, look over every table in the little moments of peace they had. Waylon moved past the curtains. She didn’t mind until she heard heavy breathing.  
“You alive over there?” Y/N cautiously followed the sound.  
“Lisa,” He mumbled, “I was there when both our boys were born. It was, until recently, the most miraculous thing I had seen.”  
Confused, Y/N moved past the curtain, to see what caused this… odd reaction.  
“Completely outside of reasonable belief,”  
Laying before the traumatized man was a… human statue.  
“And yet somehow central to everything I’ve come to believe since.”  
A mutilated corpse, breasts clearly sewn on, lay. Beside it, another corpse as the first ‘birthed’ a grown head.  
“How can the things I’ve seen here be?”  
The stench was even worse.  
Y/N gagged, too tired and starved to actually heave.   
“Oh Go-- This is SO fucked! What the-- Waylon… Oh God, Oh God.” Seeing her inability to form a proper sentence, Waylon reached over Y/N to lead them both away.   
Upon entering a new room, only separated by a few more curtains, an old song sounded. A very familiar old song at that…  
Very familiar…  
Humming it, in order to kick her brain into remembering the song, the two checked their immediate surroundings.  
A few tables turned on their sides.  
Pillars in the middle of the room.  
A figure dashing to their left.  
Some ropes hanging above them.

“Way!” Y/N whisper-gasped. She gripped his shoulder, bending down slightly. “Okay, so, you remember that name Dennis was shouting?”  
“Dennis?”  
“The last guy we ran across. Anyway, do you remember that guy we saw in one of those halls, dragging some patient?”  
“Y/N, you’re going to need to be a little more specific. There are lots of people here fitting that description.”  
“I swear to.. You know what? I just… This guy, that dude that just ran across I can only guess to be him. Very no bueno. Super duper not great, especially for me. Frank wanted to eat us, but our deaths would’ve been quick. The twins mainly just scared us. And Dennis only chased us. To compare, Gluskin is Mr. Blaire with a greater bloodthirst and patience.”  
“Patience--”  
“Torture, Waylon. Strap-you-down-and-start-cutting, torture.”  
Waylon, not entirely surprised, looked down to the doctor.  
“Alright, so we avoid him like we’ve been doing,”  
“No, Walon,” She side eyes him, “We do better. You saw his creation back there, the response other patients are giving him; nothing good.”  
Nodding, Waylon pats her hand that tightened around his uniform.  
Now, with the feeling of every step mattering, the pair moved through the space. It was practically another maze, just without the height to hide their standing figures.  
There were many things about the space, yet it was somehow slightly organized and out of the way. It was still easy to get lost in.   
Turning, searching, checking; they found nothing interesting.  
They decided to move forward. Y/N was whispering something to Waylon, not paying attention as she reached for the handle to the door before her.  
“Darling!”  
Screeching, she fell back into Waylon. Behind the locked door was her dear, ex-patient: Edward Gluskin.


	24. Chapter Twentythree

“Did I frighten you? I’m awfully sorry, I didn’t mean to.”  
Ducking behind a table, Y/N panicked. This was the same tone of voice Gluskin had during his touchy-seductive persona. The one that came before he began vocally lashing out at her. Before, if unrestrained, he would have had her pinned to her desk, strangling her. Perhaps bashing her head in with the stapler she had, or even the monitor.  
Waylon was slowly remembering the man. Right after emailing that journalist, after being called down to work on something, he had seen the man running straight to him. Begging for help. Now that he’s thinking of it, Waylon recalled seeing Y/N near the door the patient came from.   
“We’ve met before haven’t we? I know I’ve seen your face.”  
Crouching, Y/N and Waylon were hurrying to find a way out.   
This became harder as fear was not only shaking Y/N, but the millions of seemingly organized objects were entirely in the way.

They managed to find a hallway through an open door and pushed past a wired doorway, sure to shut the wired door behind them.   
That song playing overhead was beginning to get on Y/N’s nerves. Even worse, she found a whiteboard with a dress design on it. A very simple, yet well drawn??, wedding dress.   
“Y/N” Waylon nudged the woman, bringing her attention to an actual dress and the words beside it:  
Love makes a house a home  
“Great, he’s writing some white woman’s decor on the walls now. What’s next, ‘Live Laugh Love’?”  
Waylon snickered, shaking his head.  
“When I was a boy my mother often said to me, get married son and see how happy you will be.”  
Alert, the pair was shocked back into their situation. No time to mock the man… Ok, maybe a little time to mock, just not right now.  
Moving on, Waylon pushed a cabinet away from the door as Y/N kept watch, jumping at every sound.   
They found some room with a bunch of machines in them.  
“I want a girl, just like the girl that married dear old dad.”  
They were quick, silently sprinting past the blood stains and tall shelves. Once more needing to push a heavy cabinet away from a door.  
“Darling!”  
Shaking, Y/N watched as Gluskin jumped a table.   
“Hurry up, Waylon!”  
“I’m trying!”  
“You could be so beautiful.”  
“I got it!”  
Y/N shoved against Waylon in an attempt to get away quicker. Gluskin was so close now, she was so scared.   
“I want you to have my baby.”  
What the fuck, both Waylon and Y/N thought.   
The space was tight now, so much cluttered the path, but they had no time to complain. That was, until they came to a near dead end.  
“Great! A fuckin’ broken elevator shaft! Wonderful! Just--” Tears threatened to pour from Y/N’s eyes, out of fear or anger, or both, she wasn’t sure.  
“We don’t have much choice! Get to that ladder!”  
Mustering her strength, she knew she didn’t have the time to hesitate. Y/N ran off of the edge.  
Landing on the ladder.  
“Woah?? Alright, Waylon, your turn--” Y/N looked over her shoulder, only to see Gluskin nearly grab Waylon before he could jump.  
“God…” Luckily, Waylon made it across.  
Unfortunately, the ladder wasn’t made for two.  
It began breaking at the sides, and then the hand rods. It happened so fast neither of them knew what to do.  
Waylon fell first. A familiar pain vibrating throughout his body. Then, it was isolated in his calf. Following it, the woman flailing down onto him.  
Y/N managed to land generally safe. Her head narrowly missing a piece of metal. Her legs, however, tangled themselves amongst Waylon's torso.

“Oh God. Oh God, are you okay? Tell me you’re okay.”  
Y/N went to check on Waylon, only to find him PULLING OUT AN IRON ROD FROM HIS LEG.  
Slicing off a decent bit of her now-ripped skirt, Y/N shouted up, “Peachy.”  
“I’d hate to think of you suffering without me.”  
Of course.  
“Waylon, you could bleed out like that.”  
“Should I have kept it in?” He rolled his eyes.  
“Yes, actually.”  
Y/N quickly tried to dress his wound and create a tourniquet.   
It was clumsily made, but would have to do for now.  
“Why would you do something like that to yourself?”  
“Um, to get away from you?”

Y/N stared, shocked, at Waylon.  
Why did he just… provoke the man she told him to be careful around??

“You’d rather… Rather die than be with me? Then die.”

Taking her head into her hands, Y/N glared down at her lap. What the absolute FUCK was Waylon thinking. There was no way he’d be able to properly escape Gluskin now, not with his leg like that. And how was she supposed to protect him? She isn’t very strong…  
Unless…  
No, it better not get that far.

Suddenly, the elevator begins to lift.  
“Dammit Waylon!”  
“Stand up.”  
Furious, Y/N did as he said. As soon as the elevator reached the first level, Waylon stepped off, followed by Y/N. 

“What have you… Ha.”  
Not a ‘ha’ Y/N wants to hear.  
“Then we continue.”

Waylon’s new limp proved awfully slow, and Y/N knew they didn’t have the time to work with him on it. She took his arm over her shoulder and helped carry some of his weight.   
Just ahead of them lay another of Gluskin’s messages:  
A woman’s work is never done  
“Yeah, I’d say” Y/N rolled her eyes.  
They pushed past the room. Even more messages:  
There’s no place like home  
And  
If mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy

This entire area was terrifying. There were so many blood trails. So many closed exits. Just as Y/N was about to open a door, she heard Gluskin in front of it.  
“Even these lunatics see it. There’s something special about you. On the surface.”  
Carefully, she brought Waylon and herself through the door as Gluskin entered another.  
“But when they look deeper, when anybody with eyes to see looks at what you truly are…”  
Y/N was extremely sore now from practically carrying the injured man beside her. Trudging past some supplies around desks became increasingly difficult until finally, her leg spasmed.  
She and Waylon fell, rattling the objects on a nearby desk.  
“Shit…” Waylon hissed in pain.  
Nervous, Y/N pulled Waylon behind one of the nearby desks to try and hide in case Gluskin came by.  
Which he obviously did.

“Hmm. Close. I can… ,ah, the smell of my love’s arbor. Darling, you can’t hide from me.”  
I can try, Y/N thought, and with all her might she had.   
Waylon began to become restless. He couldn’t help it, the adrenaline mixed with pain and close proximity to Y/N’s heavily breathing form- it was hard to sit still. He felt awful, leaving so much for Y/N to handle.   
It was her panicked eyes that made up his mind.   
He began to move from his position.  
“What are you doing?” Y/N whispered, pinning Waylon’s arms down so he couldn’t move.  
“I’m going to distract him so you can escape. We shouldn’t both be hiding from him, and you’ve done so much already.”  
“Waylon, your leg is injured. You couldn’t outrun him on your own.”  
“Even more reason for you to escape. We can’t both be hiding from him.”

Waylon was right. In a way, Y/N thought. They can’t both get out of this position now, especially after Waylon just moved. Gluskin had to have heard that.   
Footsteps started toward their hiding spot. A decision had to be made.  
“As soon as he’s far enough, get away from here, hide in a locker if you must; I will find you.”  
“Wait, what--”  
Y/N stood from her place, drawing a slight smile to her face to hide her distaste and fear.

“Hello, Edward. I’m sorry about the run around! It was just a bit of play is all!”  
Gluskin stood in place, eyeing the young woman.   
“Is something… wrong?” Mustering all the courage she had, Y/N stalked closer to the crazed man before her.  
“No, darling, you just look… familiar.”  
“I should hope so, dear! I am your bride, after all.” Y/N drew back to her theatre history. She may have been away from acting for a while, but she needed this to be her greatest performance. What was it they taught in improv? Use what has already been established.  
“Yes… But before that, my dear. How… did we meet? Darling?”  
Crap.  
“Don’t you recall, dearest?” Y/N pushed out a weak giggle, moving past him towards the rightmost wall. She hoped to draw him away from Waylon.  
“Refresh my memory.” He was very short with her, but fell for the bait. He came closer to her as she backed away from him.  
“Well, I believe the first time we met was, well, gosh, how many years now? And the sun was-”  
“A doctor’s office. No… Not quite, darling,” Y/N fell back, now sitting on a desk as Gluskin stormed over. His hand resting beside her thigh, virtually trapping her there. “A psychiatrist’s office.”  
“I, uh, heheh. Yes, and you see,”  
“Dr. L/N?”  
Everything in Y/N went numb. Her face paled. Her back grew ridged.  
“Uh, yes. I, uh, yeah, that would be me.”

……  
…..  
….  
…  
..  
.

The man just laughed.

“Hahhahaa! Darling, you aren’t serious, are you? Forgive me, I don’t mean to be rude, ahah. You are still oh-so professional.”  
“Ahaha,” Y/N began to awkwardly laugh, hoping to appease Gluskin.   
“Dearest, now that we are to be wed, you won’t have to work like a man any longer. You will stay home with the children, fix the meals…”  
Y/N was confused now. He just revealed who she was. She was to wed him still? Did he forget the whole, y’know, handing-off-to-visit-the-morphogenic-engine?  
“And you would still have me? I mean, knowing my past?” She played coy, trying to scoot away from his ever-so close stare.  
“Of course darling, I love you! All faults can be… mended.”  
Y/N shuddered. Yet her heart leapt to her throat as something fell near Waylon.  
As Gluskin turned, a scary look on his hard, searching face, Y/N rushed and grabbed the murderers hand.  
She almost laughed at how insane this action was going to become.


	25. Chapter Twentyfour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW

TW

"I'm terribly sorry, dear! There must have been some items I balanced poorly. Toppled over, I'm afraid! And I was trying to clean up, too," Y/N forced a pout. But this hardly deterred the strong variant.   
"They are too scattered to have simply fallen over."  
"Oh, but surely that is the only way. I was just over there, and I saw no one else nearby." The woman smiled, pulling Edward closer by his arm. "Surely a simple mistake, right?"  
Finally turning back to her, his face darkened. "A mistake should not be coming from my bride." Gluskin pulled his arm free. His lips furled as he then grasped her by her hair and shoved her towards her previous hiding spot. "Fix your own fuck ups."

Asshole- Y/N growled under her breath. As soon as she saw Waylon was gone, she was high-tailing it out of there. She would take Frank over this treatment.

She wouldn't demean herself as to crawl to the mess. She slowly pulled herself upward. And walked. A quick glance toward the desk revealed no Waylon! He must have escaped when he knocked everything over!  
Mission success, Y/N carefully picked up an easel, ready to launch it at the big-man's head. She turned around and-

And there was that idiot sneaking closer to Eddie!

Y/N acted on instinct and lunged for the crazed patient. Her hands close to his throat. She knew she had no chance of beating him physically, and if she posed a threat, Gluskin would have no problem killing her. Just as he had with those other women.  
Not sure of herself, she slid her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss.  
This is so fucked. I'm an absolute moron! Ooh, this is so wrong.  
Peeking her eyes open, she glared over the receiving man's shoulder. Her hands and eyes threaten Waylon to GTFO. She was kissing a deranged ex-patient for him! If he wasted this sacrifice, he was worse than dead.  
Y/N's anger, or whatever she was feeling, caused her jaws to tense, ultimately leading to her teeth grazing the others lips. And leading him to pull her closer.  
As the smaller woman imagined a million curses towards everything, her urging of Waylon finally worked. He finally hobbled out of there.  
Meaning Y/N could soon run as well.

But that wouldn't be happening too soon. Apparently, her aggression was just exciting enough for the older man. He had trapped her against the desk once more, this time with her back against the surface.  
She allowed Waylon ten more seconds to run before she ended this.

Ten... Nine...

One of Edwards' hands found itself tangled about Y/N's hair.

Eight...

The other exploring down her side, before roughly grasping her leg.

Seven... Six...

His bloodied lips travelled lower and lower, reaching her jaw.

Five... Four... Three...

"I can... forgive you for your previous incidents. You are still... learning... after all."

Two...

He rubbed himself against her, for a mere second.

One...!

Turning her head, Y/N bit onto the man's ear, not letting go as she swiftly brought her leg toward his crotch, as hard as she could muster.  
This only allowed for a moment of distraction. Shoving him off, she eyed the easel she dropped earlier. She armed herself, taking aim at the recovering variant's head.   
And home run! She toppled him over like the winning hit of a baseball game.  
Shaking, Y/N beat him once more, this time breaking the wooden frame.  
He was still conscious, but not enough to chase after her.

Jumping over his body, Y/N ran as fast as her wired frame could take her.  
-Which happens to be near the opposite side of the asylum.


	26. Chapter Twentyfour.Five

Waylon felt like baggage. Extra weight on your shoulders. Useless.

After all the work Y/N put into their joint escape, he couldn’t even manage to protect you when you needed it most.  
He had made noise when she needed him quiet.  
After he saw her lay there, thrown to the ground, he didn’t think she could do it alone this time. That or… he just didn’t want her to do this alone. So he tried to rush to her defense. Taking a stool leg, Waylon had managed to sneak behind the lunatics hard frame. And he had felt proud, for a moment. That he was about to do something important. Something for her.

And then she kissed it. Him. The murderous being who had chased the two into a corner. In his confusion, he questioned her.  
Why? How was this a solution?  
Her E/C eyes fluttered open, and he sought an answer within them. How could she do this to him?  
No, for him.  
Her eyes shown darkly as her hands pointed to the door.  
But he didn’t want to abandon her. He didn’t want to hide as she remained lip-locked with this fiend.   
But then he saw it. The answer. Or rather, a gesture that was widely regarded as a threat. And he knew she wouldn’t give him a choice. So he nodded, bidding her well.   
That she may kill the fucker and join back with himself.

"This will not be the last time we meet, Y/N L/N."

Waylon found himself breathless. It would seem the night's activity began to catch up with him once more.   
And to his luck, lie a locker for him to hide in.  
To catch his breath in. 

But he caught more than his breath in that locker...


	27. Chapter Twentyfive

Y/N had wandered farther than she had realized. And somehow, she began to see some familiar areas. For instance, she now stood on the second level of the main cell block. Of course, from here, she could find her way out. Which wasn’t an option. Not until she found Waylon again.   
Perhaps anyone with a less moral grounding would have just left. Or really, anyone with even a sliver of self-preservation. But Y/N made a promise.   
No, now that she was certain she was safe from Gluskin, it was time to hunt her friend down.   
Once the doctor passed the entrance gate, it was slammed shut behind her.

“Get back! Get the fuck away from me,” Y/N flinched at how hoarse the patient's voice sounded, “Don’t you look at me! Don’t you dare… look at me.”  
“I will not look at you or go near you, but will you please unlock the gate? I will need to go back that way soon.”  
Y/N tried to bargain with him, but after screaming at her and banging on the gates, Y/N figured it was a lost cause. Or at least, a cause she didn’t see to be worth fighting. Sighing in aggravation, Y/N moved on.   
Not too much farther was a locked door. The woman jumped slightly at the sudden pounding sound coming from inside.

“Hey! Hey, miss!”  
Y/N looked inside, imagining it to be a patient in need of her help. Many of those placed in this block were those with childish experiments performed on them. Perhaps childish is not the correct wording, but it was of less importance to Mount Massive and more so playtime for Trager and his goons. She wasn’t often allowed down here.  
“The priest, Father Martin brought me in here to show me something.”  
Her attention piqued. Father Martin? She thought he was about the place, painting and preaching. Well, he was painting in blood, so perhaps he was up to something nefarious as well.   
“Thinks I’m going to be a witness for whatever batshit crazy he’s trying to sell me. This Dr. Wernicke is at the center of whatever went wrong here. But he died more than 10 years ago… Rest In Piece is written all over these walls. In blood.”  
She was about to move on before realizing, no one here believes Wernicke is dead. He was a threat to the patients, and an even bigger one to the employees. Cross the line and you’ll be taken under for Wernicke’s study, that bastard.   
Peering into the small window of the door, the man speaking wasn’t even in uniform.   
Who is he?  
“I’m not crazy if that’s what you’re thinking. I know that might be difficult to believe, I mean, I’m the one behind the loony door. But…”

“Are you dangerous?”

“That depends who you ask.”

“Not the time for a joke.”  
Glancing down, the man shakes his head.  
Y/N, whose curiosity got the better of her, opened his cell door.

She stepped a good bit away from him, preparing herself to run, or even fight if it came down to it. But the man on the other side of the door simply walked out.  
“You aren’t gonna stab me with something right?”  
“I, uh, no sir. I wasn’t planning… Who are you? You aren’t in any uniform.”  
“Oh, right.”  
Standing tall, the brunet man stuck his hand out, Y/N shook it in turn.  
“Miles Upshur. Investigative reporter.”  
“I- Dr. Y/N L/N. One of the few psychiatrists here at Mount Massive Asylum.”  
“One of the few? At an asylum for the criminally insane?”  
“Well…”  
Y/N noticed in his other hand a camera. Its recording light is flashing.  
“Why are you here? How did you even get in?”

Pulling back, Miles gave a shaky smile. Y/N studied him unnervingly.  
“I got an inside scoop. Some guy wanting me to expose the place. And clearly, he was onto something.”   
“Who? Who emailed you? This is the worst timing. Even a day earlier would have helped so much.”  
“I can’t just tell you who emailed me. That defeats the journalist's code-!”  
The shorter woman stole the camera from him, moving towards the rails of the hall, threatening to toss his camera. Of course, she wouldn’t actually. This camera held evidence against the place. Or so she assumed.   
“Hey, HEY! OK, Listen, I really don’t know! It was a whistleblower document. It didn’t say anything about the sender, and I didn’t ask.”  
Huffing, Y/N handed the camera back to the man. She mulled it over in her mind. Who would send an email like that?   
…  
Waylon. He did. She completely forgot about that. A part of her believed that risky email wouldn’t amount to anything.  
“I… Nevermind it. I know who sent it. And I am on my way to find him. If you have nowhere else to be, you may accompany me.”  
“Gee, thanks.”  
Miles rolled his eyes but as Y/N went on ahead, he followed behind.


End file.
